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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Environmental Justice
A term referring to inequalities in use and access to environmental resources, such as clean air and water and healthy living conditions. Economic disparities or geographic access often reserve clean and healthy environments for wealthier peoples, giving poorer people less access to clean resources or healthy living conditions. Environmental Justice proponents seek to create more […]
Environmental Audit
An examination (sometimes independent, sometimes internal) of an individual, corporation, organization, product, service, process or government’s impact on the environment. Currently, there are few standards for conducting environmental assessments but there are emerging audit protocols, such as the ISO 14000 and 14001 tools. At the very least, an audit can assess compliance with environmental regulation. […]
Environmental Accounting
An emerging field that aims to rebalance the treatment of environmental costs and benefits in traditional accounting practice. Separate environmentally-related costs and revenues are identified and new forms of valuation are created which encourage better management decisions and an increased investment in environmental protection and improvement.
Environment
A term loosely used to refer to the total of the Earth’s ecosystems. In an even larger sense, it includes not only the natural environment of ecological, biological, and climate conditions (the biosphere), but also the (human) social conditions that support (or not) various forms of life on the Earth. Some schools of thought cast […]
Ecosystem Services
A collection of services provided by the Earth’s ecosystem that are usually not a part of economic analyses but that are indispensable for any human endeavors. These include: clean air and water, plant pollination, climate regulation, soil regeneration, ozone protection, shade and shelter, etc. These services offer incalculable benefits to markets, economies, and societies but […]
Ecology
Derived from the Greek words oikos, and logos meaning “study of home.” Preceding the 1935 introduction of the term “ecosystem” by Sir Arthur Tansley, Vladimir I. Vernadsky used it to define the science of the biosphere. Ecology studies the Earth and its systems, including the interrelationships of all living things and all elements of their […]
Basic Browns
A selection of consumers defined by the Roper ASW Green Gauge Report as the least interested in “green” or environmental issues. In 2007, this category was renamed “apathetics” and has exhibited a sharp decline (from 33% in 2005 to 18% in 2007). These customers have lower incomes, and believe that their disinterest is common.
