Term

Definition

Upside (Optimist)

Balancing Act (Cynic)

Global warming

Refers to the increase in average temperatures the earth has experienced since the mid-twentieth century.

An undisputable reality in terms of  “are planet temperatures higher than 50 years ago”. A massive controversy if you want to talk about causes or subsequent actions to be taken

This is so politicized that there are folks who would rather dismiss the reality than acknowledge the evidence. Separating what from why is not in everyone’s capability.

Greenhouse gas

Any of a host of gases that when allowed to enter the atmosphere have extended breakdown periods and potentially change the way sunlight reaches the earth.

Greenhouse gases, including water vapor regulate the amount of sunlight to hit the earth. Too much of the wrong gases and it’s ice age or global desert. The increases in carbon as a percentage over the last 50 years is what has the scientific community worked up.

Venus has atmospheric carbon dioxide percentage of over 90% and a surface temperature of over 800 ºF. The earth’s carbon dioxide level is between 10-25% and climbing. Need I say more.

Greenwash

Marketing or representation of product attributes or qualities which misinform or mislead a consumer about a product or company’s environmental practices or products.

The FTC Green Guide has a great section on what constitutes misleading product claims. It’s too bad more companies don’t comply.

The more greenwashing, the less consumers will trust ANY green claims.

HDPE

High density Polyethylene #2 – a strong plastic with a good tolerance for heat (200F) found in Tupperware, furniture, piping and typically opaque packaging or consumer liquids.

Recyclable and on a par with PET. Has a high potential for mechanical recycling.

Requires 1.75 pounds of petroleum to make 1 pound of HDPE. That’s a 20 oz. bottle of petroleum plus a whole bunch of energy (petroleum) to make 16 bottles for shampoo.

Life cycle analysis

The process of deriving the full cost of an item from its inception to its disposal.

Analyzing the life cycle cost of an item is a great way to begin to identify where the bulk of society costs are in the product.

An inexact science at best. At worst, a total waste of time without a commitment to make large scale changes.

Life cycle cost

The full cost of production through disposal of an item.

When an item is produced, almost always, the costs at end of life are borne by the public in some form.

The cost as calculated for the disposal of an automobile is always interesting to think about.

Natural

Used to describe the contents of a food or material. The term is general only describing non-synthetic or non-synthetically treated substances

Natural materials are most often closer to sustainability than synthetic materials.

Natural has no boundaries. It is possible to consider coal or oil natural. Asbestos is natural. This term is always open to scrutiny.

Off-gassing

The evaporation of volatile chemicals in non-metallic materials at normal atmospheric pressure, like paint, nail polish remover, petroleum, rubber, etc.

In a landfill for example, the off-gassing of mostly methane gas can be harnessed to create electricity.

If it smells like chemicals, it’s going in your lungs and some ventilation and limiting your exposure is a pretty good idea.

Organic

A food and agricultural term describing the practice of growing/raising the food in the absence of pesticides, hormones, synthetic fertilizers and other toxic materials in cultivation. In some cases a legal description of the process of growing/raising food products.

Almost always a term defining produce, or ag materials. Almost always a positive attribute. May be the only term with a legal definition (FDA) and standard.

Is organic produce, packaged in cellophane, or flown in from far off lands a better choice than locally grown non-organics? A buyer’s and shopper’s dilemma to be sure.