By Deborah Renfrew - Albany (N.Y.) Times Union
ALBANY, N.Y. — Are you baffled by some of the jargon tethered to the green movement? Until perhaps a mere five years ago, even the most pragmatic among us likely didn't stop to think about carbon footprints.
The word green itself, in fact, can still be an anomaly and the waters become murkier still when you throw in terms such as VOCs or volatile organic compounds, carbon neutral, and sustainable use. Despite a proliferation of writing on environmental conservation, beginning in 1864 with naturalist Henry David Thoreau's Maine Woods and steaming along to the present-day cause as other notables including John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Rachel Carson, and Al Gore put pen to paper in support of their concerns, it is only in the last several years that many of the terms long tossed around — and some newer ones —have become the lexicon of the movement. Let us average folks, new to the green bandwagon, get a grasp on this specialized, sometimes technical, language and it can only serve to aid our efforts to be environmentally conscious.
• Biodegradable: The tendency of substances to break down and become a harmless part of the environment. The speed at which the break down takes place, however, is critical. Days as opposed to years make a huge difference. Biodegradable can refer to product ingredients or the containers that hold them.
• Carbon Footprint: A measure of the human impact on the environment, primarily climate change, resulting from the amount of greenhouse gases produced. The burning of fossil fuels — oil, coal, and natural gas — releases the carbon dioxide that becomes part of this heat-trapping pollution that hangs in the atmosphere. A primary footprint is made by the individual's home and vehicle energy usage. The secondary footprint results from consumption of goods, starting with their manufacture and ending with their final disposal. The lighter you tread, the smaller your footprint. Sometimes referred to as an ecological-footprint.
• Carbon Neutral: Any practice that produces no carbon emissions or offsets emissions by doing something good for the environment such as planting a tree.
• Ecologically-friendly: A practice or product that has little or no harmful effect on the environment. Ecologically-safe is also sometimes used. Beware, however, of product labels that shout this term. It can be meaningless unless backed up on an ingredients list that states no phosphates, solvent-free, or no petroleum-based substances.
• Energy Efficient: Processes or technologies that can reduce the amount of electricity or fuel used to do the same amount of work. For example, CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, use less energy to produce the same amount of light as conventional light bulbs.
• Energy Star: This is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that evaluates the energy efficiency of appliances, computers, lighting fixtures, and now newly built homes. Product must bear an Energy Star label.
• Green: A philosophy — and fast becoming a lifestyle, but not a trend — that calls for the creation of ecologically-friendly practices and products, use of sustainable technologies, conservation of resources, and recycling. Green, of course, is the color most closely associated with nature and renewal.
• Greenwashing: Labeling of products as or claiming that practices are eco-friendly, natural, organic when in fact they are not. Always read labels or ask questions to verify these claims.
• LEED: Acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a U.S. Green Building Council program that rates and certifies new home construction or gut renovation projects according to energy efficiency, water conservation, materials, and indoor air quality.
• Organic: When used properly, organic refers to the growth of foods without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers or to the use of plant-based ingredients in cleaning and grooming products. Beware, however, and read labels to determine this. Sometimes used interchangeably with the word natural; both terms can be used loosely.
• Plant-based: An alternative to man-made chemicals, oils or cleaning agents that are taken from plants, such as eucalyptus, lavender, coconut, corm, eucalyptus citrus cinnamon clove.
• Post-consumer Waste: The stuff leftover from use of products by you, the end consumer. Responsible consumers recycle and reuse.
• Pre-consumer Waste: Excess material, for example scraps of fabric or bits of plastic, left over from the manufacturing process. The responsible manufacturer salvages these scraps to put back into the making of new products.
• Reclaimed Wood: Older wood harvested from homes, barns, or public buildings that have been torn down. The wood is refinished for use in renovation or new building projects, usually as flooring.
• Renewable Energy: Energy derived from non-depletable sources such as wind, sunlight, or flowing water. Also called alternative energy, it can be in place of or in addition to conventional energy sources created by burning coal, oil, or natural gas. Consider using renewable energy in your home.
• Sustainable Use: The responsible harvesting of resources at a rate that allows for their gradual replenishment. For example, cutting fewer trees for wood or paper and planting more in place of those taken assures longer life for forests. Sometimes used interchangeably with the term managed-use.
• VOCs: Acronym for volatile organic compounds. These are compound chemicals having a high vapor pressure and low water solubility, properties that allow them to enter and remain in the atmosphere and accumulate in ground water. Most are man-made. VOCs are commonly found in paints, solvents, dry cleaning agents, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants. Users of these products usually experience VOCs as the odor emitted during use. Because VOCs can affect product performance, government regulations permit low levels to be present.
This story originally appeared on the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union's Web site."
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