In the Eco-Friendly Glossary: A to F Sustainability Terminologies Explained, we Upcycleluxe, listed out sustainability buzzwords starting from the alphabets A to F. The buck doesn’t stop here! Let us delve into more sustainability terminologies/jargons from G to Z, and this also contains the million dollar word “sustainability” and its simplest meaning as well. Let’s roll:

 (Click here for Part 1)

Global Warming 

Increase in Earth’s average temperature due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, industrial pollution, etc.,  which release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. 

Green bonds and loans

These are forms of financing/lending funds to borrowers having projects with the main aim of using a sizeable contribution of the funds to an environmental objective. 

Greenhouse gases

This includes gases like CO2 (carbon dioxide), water vapour, methane, and nitrous oxide, which are known to trap heat in the atmosphere. 

 

Greenhushing

Under-reporting or not reporting the sustainability progress of an activity or organisation. 

 

Greenwashing

Dubious marketing activities or false claims by an organisation/brand about protecting the environment when they are not doing so at all. 

Gross and Net emissions

Gross emissions are the combined greenhouse gas emissions arising from human activity. Net emissions include the removal of CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere through purchased offsets or the use of land and forestry. 

Hybrid Vehicle

Hybrid vehicles are initially powered by a conventional combustion engine. They also have batteries that cannot be plugged in and charged but instead are charged through regenerative braking. 

Kaitiakatanga

It is based on the traditional Maori worldview, which broadly translates as protection, guardianship, preservation, and sheltering. This leads to an efficient way of managing the environment. 

 

Microplastics

These small plastic pieces are less than 5mm in size and contribute to plastic pollution both on land and water. 

 

Nature-based solutions

Solutions devised, inspired, and supported by nature and for nature, often offer one or all solutions related to the environment, economic and social benefits, and also aid in increasing adaptability. 

Natural Capital

It is the cumulative stock of the world’s natural assets that includes all living things, air, water, soil, and geology.

 

Paris Agreement

In 2015, more than 190 countries adopted a legally binding international treaty on climate change. The primary goal of this agreement is to limit global warming to well below the set 2° to 1.5° Celsius as compared to pre-industrial levels.

 

 

Plastic pollution

It is the accumulation of harmful synthetic plastic products that are categorised by size (micro, meso or macro debris) like PET bottles, plastic bags, and microbeads in the Earth’s waste landfills that unfavourably affect humans, wildlife and their habitats, and water bodies.

 

Product Stewardship

It is a concept wherein businesses undertake responsibility for the environmental impact made by their products during the processes of manufacturing and selling them. In simple terms, it includes all stages of the product's life cycle, from design to end-of-life management.

 

Recycling

It is the process of making the same, similar, or different product using materials from the same materials that would otherwise end up as waste.

 

Recyclable

A product or its material that can be collected for processing and manufacturing into the same or a new product.

 

Regeneration

It’s an amalgamation of enabling, supporting, and enhancing processes related to nature and enhancing ecological health and biodiversity.

 

Renewable energy

Natural sources of energy that replenish without any human or mechanical efforts, and are derived from wind, water, and sunlight. 

Restoration

Practical efforts are made to assist an ecosystem in restoring it to its previous or enhanced biodiverse condition.

 

Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions

These are the three categories or scopes of carbon emissions as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. They are defined as:

 

• Scope 1 emissions

This covers “direct emissions” from sources that are either owned or controlled by the organisation, such as company-owned vehicles that run on petrol or diesel.

 

• Scope 2 emissions

This category covers emissions from purchased energy (electricity, heat, or steam).

 

• Scope 3 emissions

This category covers emissions generated from an organisation's activities, but the sources of emissions are not owned or controlled by the organisation. Examples include flights or transportation services taken for business travel.

 

Sharing Economy

It is a shared system wherein consumers share access to products/services for use rather than having individual ownership. For example, Airbnb connects people who have space to rent with people who are looking for a rented space.

 

Sustainability 

Sustainability is all about balancing the environment, society, and economy for long-term bounce back ability.

 

 

Sustainable business

It is an entity/organisation that conducts business which is socially responsible, economically viable, and environmentally conscious.

 

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

 

Adopted by the UN in 2015, it is a collection of 17 interconnected global goals designed to protect our planet, end poverty, and ensure global peace.

 

Sustainable procurement

The decision-making process when buying products/services includes environmental and social factors, along with price and quality aspects.

 

 

Triple bottom line

This phrase denotes the separate yet interdependent environmental, financial, and social bottom lines of an organisation or company and was first coined by John Elkington in 1994.

 

Upcycling

It is a sustainable process in which waste materials or unwanted products are transformed into new items of greater quality and value. 

 

Value Chain 

It is a business model that denotes the full range of processes required to create a product/service.

 

Waste Stream 

It depicts the complete flow of a particular type of waste from either domestic or industrial areas towards recovery, disposal, or recycling.

 

Water Pollution

Water pollution occurs when toxic pollutants like chemicals or microorganisms enter a water body, degrading its quality and making it harmful to humans, the environment, and aquatic animals.

 

Zero Carbon (Carbon Zero)

 

It is a term used to describe a product or service that emits no greenhouse gases during its manufacturing or operation.

 

Zero Waste

It is a set target of disposing of no waste either in landfills or burning it in incinerators. 

Conclusion 

Upcycleluxe (www.upcycleluxe.com) is an online sustainable marketplace that offers sustainable/eco-friendly products. The main aim of the blogs (Part 1 & Part 2) related to “sustainability terminologies” is to educate customers about the buzzwords related to sustainability and help choose genuine eco-friendly products that fall in various categories like sustainable fashion, zero-waste clothing, upcycled/recycled clothing, green gifts, and many more.

These terminologies are also associated with Mother Nature and the drastic changes that we are witnessing on a regular basis. So, now is the time to start undoing the wrong things committed in the past and aim for a healthy and greener for the present and future generations.