 |
3 R’s (of being green)
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
|
 |
Carbon footprint
A measure of an individual's, family's, community's, company's, or industry's overall contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere due to burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation.
|
 |
Climate change
A change in long-term weather patterns. Climate change can include an increase or decrease in average temperature and precipitation.
|
 |
Compact fluorescent lamps
Those funny-looking corkscrew shaped light bulbs that use less energy and last longer than regular light bulbs.
|
 |
Conservation
Minimizing the use of natural resources like water and fossil fuels.
|
 |
Daylighting
The practice of using natural light indoors.
|
 |
Fossil fuels
Fuels that result from the compression of ancient plant and animal life formed over millions of years (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.).
|
 |
Global warming
An average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate.
|
 |
Green
Term used to describe something that is considered to be environmentally friendly.
|
|
 |
Greenhouse gas
Any gas that traps the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons.
|
 |
Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
The equivalent of keeping ten 100-watt light bulbs lit for one hour (10 bulbs x 100 W x 1 h = 1000 Wh = 1 kWh).
|
 |
Recycling
Process of taking materials from products you have finished using and making brand new products with them.
|
 |
Renewable Energy Sources
Fuels that can be easily made or "renewed" and can never be used up. Types of renewable fuels are hydropower (water), solar, wind, geothermal (heat energy from processes inside the Earth), and biomass (plant or animal material).
|
 |
Solar panel
A grid of light-sensitive cells, which change light energy from the sun into electrical energy.
|
 |
Sustainability
Meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
|
 |
Wind turbine
Device like a windmill that uses rotating blades to turn the power of the wind into electrical power.
|
|
