Is your head in a spin over the myriad of sustainability jargon out there? Get to know your offset from your footprint with our glossary of the latest sustainability buzzwords.
Sustainability Terms You Need to Know
Biodegradable
Able to break down and blend back in with the earth, given the right conditions and presence of microorganisms, fungi or bacteria. Ideally, but not always, no toxins are left behind in the process. Paper, wood, food scraps and egg shells are examples of materials that are biodegradable.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to all the variety of life that can be found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms) as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live.
Carbon Drawdown
This describes the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change - as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.
Carbon footprint
The amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) one human releases into the environment in a year.
Carbon insetting
Carbon insetting is when a business finds ways to deal with emissions within the process of producing a product or service.
Carbon neutral
Carbon neutral is when the combination of all your activities releases the same amount of CO2 as they absorb. When you are “carbon neutral,” your carbon footprint is zero.
Carbon offsetting
Carbon offsetting is the reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent.
Carbon positive
Carbon positive means going beyond carbon neutral, making additional 'positive' contributions to the environment.
Carbon sequestration
The capture and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Circular economy
A circular economy is one that switches the typical cycle of make - use - dispose in favour of as much re-use and recycling as possible.
Climate Change
Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. The cause of current climate change is largely human activity.
Compostable
Compostable materials take biodegradability one step further - given the right conditions they provide the earth with nutrients once the material has completely broken down.
Food security
As defined by the Food & Agriculture Organization, “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.
Global Warming
The increase in Earth's average temperature over a long period of time.
Greenhouse Gases
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour.
Greenwashing
Greenwashing is a form of marketing spin that can make us think a service, product or company is more environmentally friendly than it actually is.
Regenerative farming
Regenerative farming uses practices dedicated to healing top soils, increasing biodiversity and rejuvenating ecosystems that have been damaged by traditional farming practices.
Recyclable
A product or material that can be collected, processed and made into a new product.
Recycling
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as rubbish and turning them into new materials and products.
Net zero
Net zero is the point at which humans contribute nothing to global warming.
Soil health
Soil health is the condition of the soil in relation to its inherent (or potential) capability, to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health. A healthy soil is productive, sustainable and profitable.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's)
A set of 17 inter-connected global goals designed by the United Nations to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all".
Sustainability
Meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs too.
Value Chain
Describes all the business activities it takes to create a product or service from start to finish.
Zero Waste
A target of sending no waste for disposal via landfill, burning or the ocean.
A long list
Phew! That's quite the list. Not exhaustive by any means, so please let us know if there are other terms we have missed or if there are some terms out there you'd like us to write about.
