Glossary

Carbon Balance - a plant's ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere

Chlorofluorocarbons - any of several organic compounds composed of carbon, fluorine, or chlorine, that once released accumulate in the stratosphere where they contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer

Climate Neutral - neutralizing the net amount of carbon released in the atmosphere from a particular activity

Diversion Rate - percentage of waste materials diverted from landfills, incineration, or other traditional methods to be recycled, composted, or re-used

Fair Trade - free of genetically modified organisms, preserve the use of natural coffee beans, promote protection of the environment, and pay fair wages to farmers helping to lift them out of poverty

Fluorescent - a tubular electric discharge lamp in which light is produced by the fluorescence of phosphors coating the inside of the tube

Greenhouse Gas Emissions - gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere, including Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Fluorinated gases

HVAC - heating, ventilation, and air conditioning climate control

Incandescent - lamp in which the light is produced by a thin filament of conducting material, usually carbon, contained in a vacuum, and heated to incandescence by an electric current

Rideshare - any form of alternate commuting, which includes vanpooling, carpooling, biking, walking, or taking the bus

Tertiary Treatment - processes to remove the impurities from sewage, producing clean quality water