HaritaDhara Research Development and Education Foundation

Definitions of Terms used in our Work

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Accessibility - Refers to the provision of non-discriminatory access to all members of the community 

Agenda 21 - A framework of political recommendations designed to protect the environment and encourage nations to move towards achieving sustainable development in the 21st century. 

Anaerobic digestion - A naturally occurring process of decomposition and decay, were organic matter is broken down to a simpler chemical component under anaerobic conditions (without oxygen).

Anthropogenic - Produced by human activity

Biodiversity - The range and interaction of species and their habitats within an ecosystem and the physical environment and processes necessary for that interaction.

Bio-gas - The bio-fuel substitute for natural gas. It derives from organic waste materials including animal waste and waste generated from municipal, commercial and industrial sources through the process of anaerobic digestion.

Biomass - The total mass of all living organisms within a biological community

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) - The process of capturing carbon that is emitted from energy production and diverting it into ground storage areas, to reduce the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - UN regulated scheme that allows countries with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries.

Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) - The internationally recognized way of expressing the amount of global warming of a particular greenhouse gas in terms of the amount of CO2 required achieving the same warming effect over 100 years.

Carbon footprint - is the amount of carbon emissions generated by individuals, businesses, or nations

Carbon offsetting - The process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing credits from others through emissions reductions projects, or carbon trading schemes. The term often refers to voluntary acts, arranged by a commercial carbon offset provider.

Carbon sink - An absorber of carbon dioxide; oceans and forests are natural carbon sinks.

Carbon zero - This is to reduce all carbon emission to zero by good practice, not including offsetting.

Cradle-to-cradle design - A product design method in which all material components are put back into service perpetually, therefore resulting in no waste product, input and outputs are seen either as technical or biological nutrients. Technical nutrients can be recycled or reused with no loss of quality and biological nutrients are composted or consumed. 

Critical thinking - An essential tool of inquiry that involves interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference and synthesis, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgement is based. 

Cultural diversity - The cultural differences that exist between people, such as language, dress, and traditions, and the way societies organize themselves, their conception of morality and religion, and the way they interact with the environment.

Ecological footprint - The total area of productive land and water required, on a continuous basis, to produce the resources consumed, and to assimilate the wastes produced, by that population, wherever on Earth the land (and water) is located.

Global warming - Is most often used to refer to the greenhouse gas effect caused by human activities.

Greenhouse effect - Gases produced naturally and by human activities that have contributed to the warming of the planet, known as Global warming, by trapping the sun’s rays.

Habitat - The place or environment where a plant or biological naturally or normally lives and grows 

Intelligent building – Automated system for improved performance and cost savings through conservation of energy and other sources

Intelligent transport system – Through information communication technology (ICT) managing traffic, enhanced access to public transport services, and congestion

Just-in-time (JIT) - Movement of goods or part finished store to next point in the supply chain just as it is required for use or consumption.

Lifelong learning - A broad concept where education that is flexible, diverse and available at different times and places is pursued throughout life

Solar Panels - Cover two areas of generation: 1) Solar thermal or solar water heating panels which is used to heat water. 2) Solar electric which is used to produce electricity also known as photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar cells that convert light into electricity

Sustainability - Now a widely accepted definition, the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 said sustainability means: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Triple Bottom Line - People, Planet and Profit - the idea being that environmental quality and social equity are just as important as black ink at the bottom of the ledger. 

Waste-to-Energy - The practice of processing waste products to generate steam, heat, or electricity.

Water footprint - The total volume of freshwater that is used to produce goods and services consumed by an individual, community, nation or planet

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