GREEN VOCABULARY 

Carbon Capture - A process to trap and hold carbon dioxide as it is being produced before it reaches the atmosphere, as a method to reduce damaging emissions.

Carbon Footprint - The total amount of greenhouse gases produced directly and indirectly to support human activities. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of carbon dioxide, which were created by your activities.

Carbon Neutral - Human activities which have reduced the creation of greenhouse gases together with carbon offsetting, which overall do not increase the amount of CO2 already in the atmosphere.

Carbon Offsets - Funding projects that reduce our emissions of carbon, such as paying to plant new trees or investing in "green" technologies such as solar and wind power, in order to balance or offset the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere as a result of intensive use of fossil fuels like oil and coal.

Close the Loop - To buy a recycled product which has been remanufactured / reprocessed / reused on more than one occasion. This eliminates waste and creates a complete product cycle.  

Daylighting - Integrated design and use of natural daylight at the beginning of the build process. This optimizes the position of a building and allows as much light into the interior as possible to reduce energy costs and encourage resource reduction.  

Eco (Ecology) - The relationship between organisms and their environment. Commonly and informally used as a term for products and materials which are environmentally friendly.  

Eco-chic / Green Chic - The trend and fashion of being environmentally conscious and buying 'green' products.  

Eco-consumerism / Green Consumerism - Environmentally conscious people buying 'green' products and manufacturers producing them for that demand.  

Eco-elite - A person who is environmentally conscious and who has the finances to support their environmental preferences.  

Embodied Energy - The total amount of energy used by a process e.g. the total energy for a building begins with sourcing and manufacturing raw materials through to ongoing maintenance as the building ages. Embodied energy looks at the whole lifecycle.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) - Organisms from bacteria, plants or animals which have been genetically changed in a laboratory through DNA technology.

Chief Sustainability Officer - Business executive hired to meet environmental regulations and to find ways to profit through environmentally friendly products and services. Tons of Fortune 500 companies have brought on a CSO in recent years.

Global Weirding - is an increase in severe or unusual environmental activity often attributed to global warming. This includes freakish weather and new animal migration patterns.

Green-Collar Workers - People who are inspired to work in the green industry for what might resemble blue-collar wages.

Greenhouse Effect - The warming of earth's atmosphere as a result of atmospheric pollution by gases. It is now feared that the warming effects are being undesirably increased by humans, causing climate changes and melting polar icecaps, known as Global Warming.

Holistic Interior Design / Zen Interior Design - A complimentary way of designing interiors based on achieving a balance between; design principles, human health and well-being and our natural environment.

Off-Gassing - Gases released from building materials, finishes and products which are inhaled by humans and animals. Off-gassing causes interior air pollution and is connected to poor health and illness.

Off the grid or Off-Grid - Living in a self-sufficient way without relying on one or more public utilities.

Organic - Food that is grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.

Sustainable - Meeting the needs of the present without damaging the ability of future generations to meet their needs. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried out over and over without negative environmental effects or impossibly high costs.   

To Go Green / Green Living - To make both a conscious and active decision to reduce the negative effect on the environment through your own lifestyle choices. A lifestyle intended to ensure that one's impact on the environment is as minimal as possible.   

Triple Bottom Line (People/Planet/Profit) - Companies who add environmental and social standards into their concerns for profit and performance.  

Virgin Product - Products that do not contain any recycled content, manufactured with 100% new materials.