Definitions - c

Ozone is a colorless, odorless reactive gas comprised of three oxygen atoms. It is found naturally in the earth’s stratosphere, where it absorbs the ultraviolet component of incoming solar radiation that could be harmful to life on earth.  Ozone is also found near the earth’s surface, where pollutants emitted from society’s activities react in the presence of sunlight to form ozone.

Wikipedia Entry

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

An innovative form of car hire that allows club members to pick up cars from locations around a city and pay for use of a vehicle on an hourly basis.

Supporters of the model argue that it helps reduce car ownership and encourages the public to only to use cars when they need to, cutting carbon emissions and congestion in the process.

The clubs say their cars are cheaper and easier to book than those of rental firms. Car clubs are also increasingly offer low emission cars, such as hybrid vehicles.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

This is a form of life which uses carbon as a 'building block' in its cells and chemical processes. Basically all life (be it plant or animal) on Earth is 'carbon based' in one form or another.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

A metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP).

The enhancement of the growth of plants as a result of increased atmospheric CO2 concentration. Depending on their mechanism of photosynthesis, certain types of plants are more sensitive to changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Carbon movement; movement of organic compounds through an ecosystem. Specifically, the relationship between carbon dioxide absorbed by green plants and carbon dioxide respirated by various organisms.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

Carbon Fraud is an aspect of global carbon markets.

Basically due to weak certification and validation processes in carbon markets, it is often quite easy to operate a 'fake' carbon offsetting business; i.e. claiming to run an offshore forest preservation scheme generating carbon credits when no such thing exists in reality (i.e. just pocket the money).

Also, due to the difficult nature of assessing exactly how much carbon some scheme or process offsets, you can also get fraud through over estimating the amount of carbon offset.

It is understood in some regions that organized crime has got involved in carbon markets, and that some markets have had to be suspended to investigate systematic fraud.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete fossil fuel combustion.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

The reservoir containing carbon as a principal element in the geochemical cycle.

Limiting the amount of carbon you use each year.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A compound consisting of one carbon atom and four chlorine atoms. It is an ozone depleting substance. Carbon tetrachloride was widely used as a raw material in many industrial applications, including the production of chlorofluorocarbons, and as a solvent.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

Several people joining in one car to go to school or work. By carpooling or taking public transportation less carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases are released into our air.

Offering to reward a retailer for good environmental practices by organising people to shop at their store.

The amount of animal or plant life (or industry) that can be supported indefinitely on available resources; the number of individuals that the resources of a habitat can support. Also called biological carrying capacity.

A tasteless white protein distilled from milk and used in dessert toppings, coffee whiteners, adhesives and binders, paint, and plastics. Sensitivity to it plays a role in milk allergies, Asperger's Syndrome, and Autism.

A sedimentation area designed to remove pollutants from runoff before being discharged into a stream or pond.

Filling or sealing compound used to make a home or building material more airtight or watertight.

Ceiling insulation is the use of a material to reduce the thermal conductivity (or basic heat transference) via the ceiling and into the space beyond it (namely the roof void). Most often this is achieved through the use of strips of material between the ceiling joists that are often several inches think. The material being able to trap a large amount of still air in relation to its size - this 'trapping' prevents the air transfering heat so prevents the heat loss from below.

Also when the roof space heats up during a hot day it similarly prevents the conduction of the heat into the living space below.

The main carbohydrate in living plants. Cellulose forms the skeletal structure of the plant cell wall.

Wood used in building construction that is supplied from sources that comply with sustainable forestry practices, protecting trees, wildlife habitats, streams, and soil.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

This term refers to tracking the custodianship of wood and wood products along the supply chain, from harvest to distribution of the final product. The purpose of a chain of custody system is to ensure that certified and other forest products originate in a responsibly managed forest. Special record keeping requirements relating to the purchase, shipment and delivery of products must always be maintained.

A chemical that controls pests by preventing reproduction.

The lowering of the Earth's temperature because of increased particles in the air blocking the sun's ray

Preparing croplands by using a special implement that avoids complete inversion of the soil as in conventional plowing. Chisel plowing can leave a protective cover or crops residues on the soil surface to help prevent erosion and improve filtration.

An organic solvent containing chlorine atoms that is often used as aerosol spray container, in highway paint, and dry cleaning fluids.

Manufactured without chlorine or chlorine derivatives.

A family of chemicals composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine; CFCs were used mostly as refrigerants for freezers, refrigerators, and air-conditioning units, and as industrial cleansing solvents primarily in the high-tech industry. They were also used as an expansion agent in the manufacture of isocyanurate thermal insulation, and some extruded polystyrene foam used for thermal insulation, and some extruded polystyrene foam used for thermal insulation products, and food service containers.

Ozone problem
 
 CFCs' ability to destroy stratospheric ozone through catalytic cycles contributed to the depletion of ozone worldwide. Because CFCs are such stable molecules, they do not easily react with other chemicals in the lower atmosphere. One of the few forces that can break up CFC molecules is ultraviolet radiation, however the ozone layer protects the CFCs from ultraviolet radiation in the lower atmosphere. CFC molecules can then to migrate intact into the stratosphere, where the molecules are bombarded by ultraviolet rays, causing the CFCs to break up and release their chlorine atoms. The released chlorine atoms participate in ozone destruction, with a single atom of chlorine destroying ozone molecules over and over again.
 
 International attention to CFCs resulted in a meeting of diplomats from around the world in Montreal in 1987. A treaty was forged that called for drastic reductions in the production of CFCs. In 1990, diplomats met in London and voted to significantly strengthen the Montreal Protocol by calling for a complete elimination of CFCs by the year 2000.

A class of herbicides that may be found in domestic water supplies and cause adverse health effects.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

Blends or substitutes for gasoline fuels, including compressed natural gas, methanol, ethanol, and liquified petroleum gas.

Alternative phrase for reverse graffiti.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A row of windows near the peak of the roof. Often used along with an open floor plan that allows the light to bounce throughout the building.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

Climate Change housing refers to housing that has been designed to operate in a way that minimizes its impact in contributing to climate change through reducing the man made component of climate change.

Note: This does not automatically mean that a house so designed is 'green' or 'eco' over the longer term, rather it is focused on minimizing its man made climate change impact first; which can lead to it been green if done correctly. Basically one does not automatically lead to the other.

Note: Beware of carbon 'get rich quick' schemes; i.e. solar power offsetting, etc as these often only work with costly rebates (which a lot of governments are now pulling out of supplying on mass due to them not being financially sustainable over the longer term).

A Climate Change Skeptic is someone who believes, in the context of Climate Change, that the human influence on the climate has been dramatically overplayed compared to natural processes and other external influences (such as the Sun).

Note: It does not mean they do not believe that the climate changes, rather that the amount of that change due to human activity is over emphasized and too 'precise' given the limited time (a few hundred years) we have had to measure the climate compared to the age of the climatic system (millions of years).

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

Often abbreviated to just AGW. This is global warming which has been caused by human activity in addition to natural global warming.

The science around this is difficult to prove, as identifying a clear indicator of the human contribution which is independent of multiple natural causes is very hard to do in reality. The human element to global warming needs to be clearly and precisely measured against a background of natural global warming that has been occurring since the last ice age. 

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

The delay that occurs in climate change as a result of some factor that changes only very slowly.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A climate outlook gives probabilities that conditions, averaged over a specified period, will be below normal, normal, or above normal.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A feedback is an enhancement (positive feedback) or a damping (negative feedback) of an initial change, but in this case in a climate system. For example, when less energy reaches the Earth, temperature decreases and the area covered by snow increases. The albedo of the planet decreases, reflecting more energy towards the atmosphere. Consequently less energy is available at the surface, and temperature further decreases. The whole "cycle" from the initial cooling to the further cooling is a feedback, which is a positive feedback in this example.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

The vegetation that would exist in an area if growth had proceeded undisturbed for an extended period. This would be the "final" collection of plant types that presumably would remain forever, or until the stable conditions were somehow disturbed.

The increase in solar intensity caused by reflected irradiance from nearby clouds.

A precombustion process by which coal is physically or chemically treated to remove some of its sulfur so as to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions.

Coalbed methane (CBM) or Coal Bed Methane or coalbed gas is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an important source of energy in United States, Canada, and other countries. Australia has rich deposits where it is known as coal seam gas (abbreviated "CSG").

Original Wikipedia entry

Coeliac disease (spelled celiac disease in North America) is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea, failure to thrive (in children), and fatigue, but these may be absent, and symptoms in other organ systems have been described. A growing portion of diagnoses are being made in asymptomatic persons as a result of increased screening; the condition is thought to affect between 1 in 1,750 and 1 in 105 people in the United States. Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a prolamin (gluten protein) found in wheat, and similar proteins found in the crops of the tribe Triticeae (which includes other common grains such as barley and rye).

See Wikipedia full entry.

The sequential production of electricity and useful thermal energy from a common fuel source. Rejected heat from industrial processes can be used to power an electric generator (bottoming cycle). Conversely, surplus heat from an electric generating plant can be used for industrial processes, or space and water heating purposes (topping cycle).

Clusters of houses having shared dining halls and other spaces, encouraging stronger social ties while reducing the material and energy needs of the community.

Bacteria, if present in sewage, indicate the possible presence of enteric pathogens of sewage origin. Fecal coliform bacteria, a subset of the total coliform bacteria group, indicate specifically the presence of fecal material.

A photovoltaic device or module that provides useful heat energy in addition to electricity.

Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and final deconstruction.

This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

A combustion fire place in its simplest form is just a fire in a hearth that vents through a chimney to the outside world.

Although, technology has moved on and it is now possible to have a fire place with the following attributes:

• glass fronted door to the actual hearth, so that no risk of 'blow back' putting smoke into the house;
• a surrounding box to the fire, so that a fan can be used to heat air and circulate that around the room - improving the heating ability of the fire;
• hot water heating - achieved either by pipes at the back of the fire or in the flu that circulate the hot water through a connected hot water tank (although be careful with this, as incorrect installation can cause a blow out);
• ability to restrict the flow of the smoke from the fire such that the combustion efficiency is improved and the resultant smoke is less - often termed slow combustion.

This requires polluters to meet specific emissions-reduction targets and often requires the installation and use of specific types of equipment to reduce emissions.

Commercial Solar refers to the usage of Solar power by a commercial entity, typically a business, to reduce its dependence on the grid and thereby reduce its operational costs due to electricity.

This is a solar power plant whose electricity is shared by more than one household. Often framed as an alternative to rooftop solar. It is also known as a solar garden or a shared renewable energy plant.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) , are more energy efficient than standard incandescent light bulbs and last longer.

The point where the amount of energy produced by photosynthesis equals the amount of energy released by respiration.

Any coal that emits less than 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million Btu when burned. Also known as low sulfur coal.

Also called “engineered wood”; made of strands, particles, fibers, or veneers of wood bound with adhesives. Products include particle board, plywood, and medium-density fiberboard (MDF).

A product that can be placed into a composition of decaying biodegradable materials and eventually turn into a nutrient-rich material.  It is synonymous with “biodegradable,” except it is limited to solid materials.  (Liquid products are not considered compostable).

A human waste disposal system consisting of a toilet that uses little or no water connected to a specially built tank in which waste material is decomposed by aerobic bacteria.

Concentrated solar power (also called Concentrating Solar power, Concentrated Solar Thermal, or just CSP) are systems that generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight, or solar thermal energy, onto a small area. This often heats a medium (such as water) which is used to drive another process to convert the energy into electrical energy.

A photovoltaic module, which includes optical components such as lenses (Fresnel lens) to direct and concentrate sunlight onto a solar cell of smaller area. Most concentrator arrays must directly face or track the sun. They can increase the power flux of sunlight hundreds of times.

Power generated through a final steam turbine stage where the steam is exhausted into a condenser and cooled to a liquid to be recycled back into a boiler.

The space of a building that is controllably heated or cooled, or both, for the comfort of its occupants.

Easement restricting a landowner to land uses that that are compatible with long-term conservation and environmental values.

Crop cultivation in which the soil is disturbed little (minimum-tillage farming) or not at all (no-till farming) to reduce soil erosion, lower labor costs, and save energy.

The difference between the total quantity of water withdrawn from a source for any use and the quantity of water returned to the source; e.g., the release of water into the atmosphere; the consumption of water by humans, animals, and plants; and the incorporation of water into the products of industrial or food processing.

A chemical that kills pests when it touches
them, instead of by ingestion. Also, soil that contains the minute skeletons of certain algae that scratch and dehydrate waxy-coated insects.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

Soil tilling method that follows the shape of the land to discourage erosion.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

The proportion of sunlight energy that a photovoltaic cell converts to electrical energy.

Ozone is a colorless, odorless reactive gas comprised of three oxygen atoms. It is found naturally in the earth’s stratosphere, where it absorbs the ultraviolet component of incoming solar radiation that could be harmful to life on earth.  Ozone is also found near the earth’s surface, where pollutants emitted from society’s activities react in the presence of sunlight to form ozone.

Wikipedia Entry

Cork isn’t just for wine bottles anymore. Probably the most popular use of cork now is flooring because it provides natural thermal insulation, thus helping to lower energy consumption, and it also has the natural ability to absorb sound and shock. It is a type of flooring that suits most allergy sufferers and is very durable despite its rubbery feel. Did you know there is actually a Cork Oak tree? Well, there is and it’s a pretty cool tree that is responsible for all those wine corks and cork flooring. Cork is harvested by peeling away the bark from the trunk and branches every 9-12 years and does not necessitate the felling of the tree. And, Cork Oak trees do not die when their bark is removed like most trees.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

The seed that comes from cotton plants and is used to produce cottonseed oil, which is then used to make environmentally friendly ink.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

The schedule of the maturing and harvesting of seasonal crops.

Crop rotation is when one grows a series of dissimilar types of crops in rotation, in the same area, in sequential seasons for various benefits such as to avoid the build up of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species is continuously cropped. Crop rotation also seeks to balance the fertility demands of various crops to avoid excessive depletion of soil nutrients.

A traditional component of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. It is one component of polyculture. Crop rotation can also improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants

Crop rotation is practised by all sizes of farming, from the hobbyist to large farms.

Usually a conifer tree grown to provide wood products.

See cross ventilation for full definition.

Cross ventilation is when a building is set up to utilize the natural winds that blow across a site to assist with cooling the building.

Simply put the windows are so placed and the internal structure of the property (i.e. placement of doors and open spaces) set up as to allow the easy movement of air from one side of the property to the other when the windows and doors are open; so ventilating the property essentially for free.

This is often a key component of passive solar and thermal mass design. In that during a hot Summer night the windows and doors can be opened to let in the cooler night air, this in turn cools the thermal mass, which the following day helps assist in keeping the property cool.

A colorless, pungent, gas that is extremely soluble in water and may be used as a refrigerant. It is also a fixed form of nitrogen that is suitable as fertilizer.

One of the interrelated components of the Earth's system, the cryosphere is frozen water in the form of snow, permanently frozen ground (permafrost), floating ice, and glaciers. Fluctuations in the volume of the cryosphere cause changes in ocean sea level, which directly impact the atmosphere and biosphere.

This refers to the nutrient enrichment of freshwater and marine environments resulting from the activities of humans.

A cloud type that is dense and vertically developed and is associated with rain (particularly of a convective nature).

A new eco friendly material made from carrots that can be used instead of glass fibre.

A device that uses centrifugal force to remove large particles from polluted air.