Glossary of Key Terms at Broward SWA
Some of the terms you’ll see regularly on the site.
A
Afforestation: Planting trees to create new forests on previously non-forested land.
Agroforestry: Integrating trees and shrubs into agricultural systems.
Air Quality: The condition of the air based on pollutant levels.
Alternative Energy: Renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and geothermal.
Alternative Fuels: Non-petroleum-based fuels, like biofuels and hydrogen.
Anaerobic Digestion: Breaking down organic waste without oxygen to create biogas.
Aquaponics: A system combining fish farming with plant cultivation.
B
Biodegradable: Substances that can naturally decompose without harming the environment.
Biodiversity: The variety of life in a specific habitat or ecosystem.
Biofuel: Fuel derived from organic materials like plants or animal waste.
Biogas: A renewable gas produced from organic materials decomposing anaerobically.
C
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): Technology to capture and store CO₂ emissions.
Carbon Footprint: The total greenhouse gases produced directly and indirectly.
Carbon Neutrality: Balancing emitted and removed CO₂ to achieve net-zero emissions.
Carbon Reduction: Decreasing CO₂ emissions to mitigate climate change.
Circular Economy: An economic system focused on reusing, recycling, and reducing waste.
Circular Supply Chain: A supply chain designed to keep resources circulating.
Clean Energy: Energy from sources that release little to no pollutants.
Climate Change: Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns due to human activities.
Closed-Loop System: A process where waste is reused in production, creating minimal waste.
Compostable: Materials that can break down in composting systems.
Composting: Decomposing organic waste to create nutrient-rich soil.
D
Decarbonization: Reducing carbon emissions across various sectors to combat climate change.
Deforestation: The clearing of trees, often for agriculture or development.
Downcycling: Recycling waste into products of lesser quality.
E
Ecological Footprint: The measure of human demand on Earth’s ecosystems.
Ecosystem Services: Benefits humans derive from healthy ecosystems, like pollination.
Ecosystem: A community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Emissions: Pollutants released into the atmosphere from various sources.
Environmental Impact: The effect of human activities on the natural world.
Environmental Justice: Fair treatment of all people regarding environmental policies.
E-waste: Discarded electronic devices and components.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Policies holding producers accountable for post-consumer waste.
F
Fair Trade: Trade that ensures ethical treatment of workers and environmental care.
Flaring: Burning off excess gases, often from oil extraction.
Food Miles: The distance food travels from production to consumer.
Fossil Fuels: Nonrenewable energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas.
G
Geothermal Energy: Renewable energy derived from Earth’s internal heat.
Green Building: Construction practices focused on reducing environmental impact.
Green Infrastructure: Natural systems for managing stormwater and improving urban areas.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG): Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
Greenwashing: Misleading claims about a product’s or company’s environmental benefits.
Greywater: Wastewater from sinks, showers, and laundry that can be reused.
H
Habitat: The natural environment where a species lives.
Heavy Metals: Toxic elements, like lead, that can accumulate in the environment.
Hydropower: Renewable energy generated from flowing water.
I
Industrial Ecology: Studying industrial systems to minimize waste and resource use.
Invasive Species: Non-native species that disrupt local ecosystems.
L
Landfill: A site for waste disposal where trash is buried.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Analyzing the environmental impacts of a product from creation to disposal.
Lifecycle Analysis (LCA): Evaluating environmental impacts of products’ life cycles.
M
Marine Debris: Litter, primarily plastic, that pollutes marine environments.
Methane (CH₄): A potent greenhouse gas often emitted from landfills and agriculture.
Microplastics: Small plastic particles that pollute ecosystems.
Monoculture: Cultivating a single crop over a large area, which can harm biodiversity.
N
Natural Capital: The world’s stocks of natural resources.
Natural Resources: Materials from Earth, like minerals and forests, used by humans.
Net Zero: Achieving a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and removals.
Nonrenewable Resources: Resources like coal that are finite and cannot be replenished.
O
Ocean Acidification: The reduction in ocean pH due to increased CO₂.
Offsetting: Compensating for emissions by reducing or sequestering carbon elsewhere.
Organic Agriculture: Farming without synthetic chemicals to protect biodiversity.
Organic Waste: Biodegradable waste like food scraps and yard trimmings.
Organics: Biodegradable materials, like food and yard waste.
P
Permaculture: A sustainable land management approach that mimics natural ecosystems.
Photovoltaic Cells: Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity.
Pollinator: Animals like bees that help plants reproduce.
Pollution: Contaminants introduced into the environment that harm ecosystems.
Population Density: The number of people per unit area, impacting resources.
Post-Consumer Waste: Waste generated after a product has been used by consumers.
Precycling: Making purchasing decisions to avoid waste before it’s generated.
Pyrolysis: Thermally decomposing organic material in the absence of oxygen.
R
Reclaimed Water: Treated wastewater used for purposes other than drinking.
Recycling: Reprocessing waste into new products to conserve resources.
Regenerative Agriculture: Farming that aims to restore soil and biodiversity.
Renewable Energy: Energy sources that are naturally replenishing, like wind and solar.
Resilience: The ability of systems to recover from environmental stress.
Resource Efficiency: Using resources wisely to reduce environmental impact.
S
Salinization: The buildup of salts in soil, often from improper irrigation.
Single-Use Plastics: Plastics designed for one-time use, often harmful to the environment.
Smart Grid: An energy network that uses digital technology for efficient distribution.
Soil Health: The ability of soil to support plant and animal productivity.
Solid Waste: Discarded materials from homes, businesses, and industries that require disposal or recycling.
Sustainability: Meeting present needs without compromising future generations’ needs.
Sustainable Agriculture: Farming practices that protect ecosystems.
T
Terracycling: A recycling process for hard-to-recycle materials.
U
Upcycling: Transforming waste into products of higher quality or value.
Urban Heat Island: Urban areas that are warmer due to human activities.
V
Vermiculture: Using worms to decompose organic waste into compost.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Chemicals that vaporize and harm air quality.
W
Waste Audit: Analyzing the amount and types of waste produced.
Waste Hierarchy: Ranking waste management options by environmental impact.
Waste Minimization: Strategies to reduce the amount of waste produced.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE): Converting waste materials into energy.
Water Conservation: Strategies to use water more efficiently.
Wildlife Corridor: A protected path that allows wildlife to move between habitats.
Wind Energy: Energy derived from the movement of wind to generate electricity.
X
Xeriscaping: Landscaping to reduce the need for irrigation.
Y
Yard Waste: Organic waste from gardens, such as leaves and grass clippings.
Z
Zero Waste: Reducing waste so that no trash is sent to landfills or incinerators.