Something capable of decaying into its basic components

Plant or animal materials used to create energy

Pollution released into the atmosphere from carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide; often produced by motor vehicles

Monetary purchase to counter the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere rather than reducing carbon use

Significant change in climate, including temperature, precipitation, or wind, that lasts for an extended period

A system where everything is recycled and reused

Protection from harm

The mentality to focus on reducing harm to the environment wherever possible

Measurement based on the amount of nature it takes to support something

The effect something has on the environment

The average increase of temperature of the troposphere

Term used to describe behavior, product, policies, people, etc., that minimize environmental damage

Gas in the atmosphere such as methane, water vapor, carbon dioxide

The protection and preservation of oceans and seas

Achieving a balance between emissions produced and emissions removed from the atmosphere; also known as carbon neutrality

To keep something the same and prevent it from being damaged

To reprocess reusable goods

 Planting of forests on lands that were depleted 

Electricity from replenishable sources such as geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind

This is a form of training where the algorithm is asked to make inferences from datasets that don’t contain labels. These inferences are what help it to learn

An aspirational approach to recycling items without knowing if they’re recyclable but expecting them to be properly dealt with

A renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils such as soybean oil

Excess material produced

The amount of carbon dioxide produced by your lifestyle

A system dedicated to eliminating waste by reusing, sharing, repairing, and recycling resources

Exceeding achieving carbon neutrality by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; also referred to as carbon negative

Controlled decomposition of organic material

Conversion of forested lands into non-forest use

Environmentally minded actions that cause minimal harm to the earth

Uses the smallest amount of energy possible to provide power

Exchanging goods to extend their lifecycle and keep reusable items out of landfills

Domestic wastewater, including wash water from the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry

When excessive heat is trapped and built up in the troposphere by a blanket of gases

Misrepresenting something as being “green” when it’s not environmentally sound

Raw materials supplied by nature

Anything that was once a living organism

Waste materials refurbished for new products

To cut back on harmful habits that produce waste

To restore mineral content to an environment

Items used one time and then discarded

A diet and lifestyle that avoids all animal-derived products

Avoiding products that create waste to avoid contributing to landfills, incinerators, and waste discarded in nature. Minimal waste is a more realistic term, as it’s impossible to create zero waste