Green Glossary

Biofuel: low-emission petroleum substitute made from plant sources. For example, ethanol made from cereals and sugarcane, and biodiesel made from vegetable oils or animal waste

Carbon footprint: the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere by an individual, organisation or nation from the combustion of fossil fuels. It’s usually measured in tonnes of CO2 emitted annually

Carbon neutral: an activity or process that doesn’t add to the net amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Is also used to describe a process which is offset (see carbon offset below)

Carbon offset: a carbon offset negates the overall amount of carbon released into the atmosphere by avoiding the release or removing it elsewhere. Common forms of carbon offsetting include paying firms to invest in renewable energy generation, energy efficiency or planting trees (which absorb CO2)

Carbon trading: the trading of personal, corporate or national credits to maintain and gradually reduce carbon emissions. Companies, nations or individuals who beat the targets can sell the balance as credits to those that exceed their limits. The financial gain should lead to the reduction in emissions over time

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): greenhouse gases formerly used in fridges, aerosols, etc, that are being phased out because they destroy the ozone layer. They are being replaced with hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are less harmful to the ozone layer

Fossil fuels: oil, natural gas and coal. They are made up of ancient decomposed plant matter that has been compressed over millions of years. These substances contain CO2 from this ancient plant matter, which is released into the atmosphere when these fuels are burned, contributing to global warming

Geo-engineering: in climate change terms, refers to engineering projects that will reduce global warming. Proposals include mirrors in space to reflect sunlight and stop it entering the atmosphere, dumping sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight, putting iron in the oceans to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton (tiny micro-organisms that absorb CO2). These proposals are all unproven and seen as desparate last options

Greenhouse gas: gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and from human activity, that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation. Water vapor (H2O) is the most abundant greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are a natural part of the atmosphere

Greenhouse effect: the trapping of the sun’s heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, so leading to global warming. It is because we are adding to the greenhouses gases in the atmosphere that we are altering the delicate balance that has kept the Earth’s climate relatively stable

Green power: electricity generated from renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar, avoiding the emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels

Greywater: used water from washing machines, dishwashers, sinks, baths and showers that can be reused on gardens. In contrast to blackwater from toilets, which is not safe to reuse without being treated

Kyoto Protocol: international agreement on global warming and emissions targets set at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. The protocol sets greenhouse gas abatement (reduction) targets for nations from 2008 to 2012. Australia ratified the protocol in 2008. Reduction targets are compared to a base year of 1990. The Kyoto protocol will be superceded by a new set of targets to be determined at the Copenhagen summit in 2009

Renewable energy: energy from sources that will never run out, such as solar, wind, geothermal, wave, tidal, ground source and biofuels

Sustainable development: economic development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Definitions from ResourceSmart Victoria, UK Green Guide and ecodirecory

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