Terms You Need To Learn
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- Biodegradable is the term used for anything that is capable of being broken down by living organisms.
- Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by living organisms. How long it takes for a product to degrade depends upon its composition. For example a banana peel takes about a week to degrade while orange peels take about 6 months.
→ There is much to learn in regards to biodegradability and biodegradable materials. For example, just because something has been labeled biodegradable, doesn’t mean it will degrade if put into the wrong environment. Worldwise.com has a great article that explains this process very well.
C
- Carbon Footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide measured in units, that an individuals activity produces.
- Carbon Neutral is the term used when a particular activity balances out the affects of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- Carbon Offset This is one way to compensate for a carbon footprint, essentially by investing money in a project that will benefit the environment and cancel out the emission of carbon dioxide from a certain activity. The most common form of carbon offset is planting trees because they will absorb CO2.
- Compact Florescent Lightbulb (CFL) is an energy efficient bulb that uses less electricity and they last much longer. They also contain small amounts of mercury meaning they must be recycled rather than thrown in the trash.
- Compost is the process of taking collected food scraps from your home and disposing of them naturally, such as in a designated place in the yard. The intent is to use the nutrient rich composted material as a fertilizer and other garden uses.
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- Greenhouse gases are components of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect. They come from natural resources and human activity. The major greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone.
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T
- Tigtized is a gradual process in which a person wanting to ‘turn green’, consciously makes an effort to change his/her otherwise wasteful practices. Get tigtized!
