Green Cleaning Jargon & Terms

[EcoGenie]

3R's
In the world of green, this standard for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

biodegradable
A material that breaks down with the assistance of microorganisms

bioaccumulation
Where toxins taken up by plants and animals from their environment become concentrated in body tissues.

biodiversity
The scope of different living things within an area - the plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms and the ecosystems they are part of.

degradable
A material that breaks down through chemical reactions rather than through the activity of microorganisms

blackwater
Water effluent containing fecal matter and urine - i.e. sewage

carbon footprint
the amount of carbon dioxide emissions created by a person or industry

CFL
Compact Fluorescent Lamp - an energy saving light bulb rapidly replacing traditional incandescent bulbs.

[EcoGenie]

climate change
Most commonly means a rapid variation in the Earth's global climate due to anthropogenic (human) activity induced global warming

co2
chemical shorthand for carbon dioxide - the greenhouse gas that is contributing greatly to global warming

compostable
A material that breaks down to become what is effectively dirt. It contains no toxins and can support plant live

eco-savvy
Someone who is environmentally aware

ecosystem
The physical and biological elements of an area co-existing to form a self supporting environment.

emissions
Usually used in reference to exhaust or greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide production as a byproduct of human activity.

flat pack
An increasingly popular way of producing goods that the end user assembles. The unfinished product takes up far less space, so more can be shipped - saving fuel and emissions.