Clear Cutting

A process where all trees in a selected area are felled in a logging operation. Although some areas may be planted, seeded or naturally regenerated, the effect on the environment can be extremely destructive. The act of clear cutting is not only damaging to the structure and function of the forest, but in particularly erosion-prone areas the loss of root structures significantly affects water quality, and leads to the loss and fragmentation of nutrient... Read More

Cheater Capitalism

A term coined by Randy Hayes to describe the ability for companies to exploit economic policies that insufficiently attribute externalities. As long as these external costs are not addressed by business, the economy will, ultimately, be unsustainable.  Read More

Caux Round Table Principles

The Caux Principles were developed in 1994 by a group of international business leaders as a guide for ethical and responsible corporate behavior. These principals are meant to be a cornerstone for business leadership to raise the moral and ethical standards by which corporations and governments operate in order to promote moral capitalism so that environmental and social prosperity will also grow. www.cauxroundtable.org  Read More

Carbon Disclosure Project

An initiative by leading institutional investors (with assets of $10T) to research and rate global companies based on their risks due to climate change. The 2003 CDP report estimated that a single carbon-intensive manufacturing company might carry as much risk (in energy prices, availability, and potential carbon taxes) equal to 40% of it’s market capitalization. The report also notes how many of the top global 500 firms consider climate change... Read More

Biomass

Organic, non-fossil material that is available on a renewable basis. Biomass includes all biological organisms, dead or alive, and their metabolic by products, that have not been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum. Examples of biomass are forest and mill residues, agricultural crops and wastes, wood and wood wastes, animal wastes, livestock operation residues, aquatic plants, and municipal and industrial... Read More

Biofuel

Biofuel is any fuel derived from an organic material that is not fossilized like coal or petroleum. Common sources of biofuel grown for the U.S and European markets are corn, soybeans, flaxseed and rapeseed. Biofuel can appear in solid, liquid, or gas form. It is used to produce heat or electricity, or to power machinery using burners, broilers, generators, internal combustion engines, turbines or fuel cells. Biofuel is a renewable energy, but there... Read More

Bio-based Material

“Bio-“ is Greek for life.Bio-based material refers to a products main constituent consisting of a substance, or substances, originally derived from living organisms. These substances may be natural or synthesized organic compounds that exist in nature. This definition could include natural materials such as leather and wood, but typically refers to modern materials. Many of the modern innovations use bio-based materials to create products... Read More

Asset

Anything owned by a business or an individual that has cash, commercial, or exchange value. It is generally understood to mean property capable of producing income. Assets can be tangible (buildings, inventory, and materials) or intangible (licenses, trademarks, patents, and other intellectual property). Intangible assets include all value a company might provide. For example, brand and reputation may be powerful contributors to an organization’s... Read More