Term

Definition

Upside (Optimist)

Balancing Act (Cynic)

PET/PETE

Polyethylene terephthalate #1 – a  resin of the polyester family used for beverage, food and other liquid containers for its thermoforming, lightweight and semi-rigid to rigid capability.

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

When you see these bottles wash up on the beach, it’s still pretty heartbreaking.

Petroleum derivative

Any and all of the many materials and chemicals which are made through chemically adapting petroleum. Gasoline, jet fuel, plastics, paints, pesticides, etc.

If it’s plastic, or any synthetic, it’s a petroleum derivative. There are products coming to market made from bio substitutes, but, they are relatively rare and very well identified.

Half of every barrel of oil becomes gasoline. Another quarter is jet fuel and distillate fuel oil, the rest is derivatives.

Post consumer waste

Defines a specific type of recycled material. These materials in a previous existence, were a consumer product that has been returned and processed to become a “new” item.

The ultimate definition of the “global village” where we willingly sort waste to be reconstituted into useful new stuff.

Less waste would be good, but, since waste is a pretty much a given, this term doesn’t carry much trade-off.

Post industrial waste

Defines a specific type of recycled material. These materials were waste at the factory, either factory defects or other post production waste that has been returned and processed to become a “new” item.

When the manufacturing process creates waste, what happens to it? Let’s hope it is all recycled.

Extreme greens will look askance at this because it is “easy” and “efficient” for the manufacturer. Maybe even “cost saving”. I say, recycled is still good and beats going to landfill.

Recyclable

An identification of any of a number of materials that are universally accepted by waste recovery companies (aluminum, glass, paper, plastic) that CAN be recycled.

A great way to distinguish credible companies from others. Products are only recyclable if the consumer can put them in a bin – mono-materials only.

An all too often greenwash term to redescribe a virgin material product as green by virtue of its ultimate recyclability. Without scrutiny, this term is almost meaningless, now. Grocery bags being banned worldwide are recyclable.

Recycled

Describes content of materials that have been reconstituted from waste. See Post consumer and Post industrial for further definition.

A key element of “closing the loop” buying all goods from

Often confused with “recyclable”, which is a products’ ability to become “recycled”.

Recycling

The process of diverting material from the waste stream for remanufacture as something new.

Sweden recycles 80% of glass, corrugated cardboard and waste paper. Japan does a great job as well with only 16% of waste headed for landfill.

The U.S. sends 60-70% of our waste to landfill. The irony is that all recycling has a positive market value and all waste has a negative market value.

Reduce

The practice of using less of something.

If you only need two gallons of paint, buying the two gallons and not the five gallon bucket because it’s a better value.

If we all stopped considering storage space as unlimited, we’d consume less than a lifetime supply.

Renewable

Something that can replenish itself.

Cotton seeds create cotton plants which create cotton seeds, etc..

Almost nothing that is a Petroleum Derivative can be in this category also.

Renewable resources

A resource considered to have an unlimited supply and/or is regenerative.

Wind power, solar power, tidal power, etc.

Uranium and coal are NOT considered renewable since the geologic forces that create those “natural” fuels can not replenish the resource at the rate at which humans consume them.

Rethink

The practice of considering practices and processes from a new perspective.

Those inclined to engage their thought process before the action in the first place.

For those who never thought of recycling, the act of separating recyclables from trash is rethinking.

Reuse/repurpose

The practice of using an item in a second way, not having to have re-manufactured it.

When you take your old shop tools and convert them to lawn art or take old CDs and make bird deflectors

If it goes in the recycle bin to be transformed, like aluminum which is melted to become a new can, it’s recycling.