The Green Glossary

It seems like there's new eco-lingo every day as we become more aware of the new types of resources and materials available for decorating, renovating and gardening that won't harm the environment. Here's a list to get you started, courtesy of Julia Black, assistant designer from Pure Design.

A

Ammoniac copper arsenate (ACA): A variety of toxic pressure-treated wood.

Aggregate: Natural sands, gravels and crushed stone used for mixing with cementing materials to make mortars and concretes. It can be added to paint for texture or non-slip flooring.

B

Baffle: A single opaque or translucent element used to diffuse or shield a surface from direct or unwanted light.  For example, parabolic baffles are often used in offices to diffuse lighting towards a desired area. Also, in art galleries, where lighting is significantly important, galleries plan their reflected ceiling plan in such a way that the art is preserved and does not receive unwanted light, light that can often damage artwork. Hence, a baffle might be used to help direct the light for optimal ambiance.

Ballast: A device that provides the necessary starting voltage while limiting and regulating a fluorescent lamp current during its operation.

Biocide: A toxic chemical or physical agent capable of killing or inactivating one or more groups of microorganisms such as vegetative bacteria, fungi or viruses. It is often used in paint, preservatives, floor coverings or fabrics.

C

Certified Organic: Items that have been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations and include a legitimate seal or stamp.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): Any of a group of compounds that contain carbon, chlorine, fluorine and sometimes hydrogen. Used in refrigerants, cleaning solvents, aerosol propellants and in the manufacture of plastic foams. CFCs have been linked to the destruction of the ozone layer.

Closed-Loop: A type of manufacturing process that utilizes a cyclical material flow in order to minimize waste (i.e. the product is re-used, sometimes endlessly).

Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL): A lamp that produces visible light by emitting electromagnetic radiation. They usually consist of a glass tube filled with argon, along with krypton or other inert gases.

Cradle-to-Cradle: A term used in life-cycle analysis to describe a material or product that is recycled into a new product at the end of its defined life. From Cradle-to-Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things written by world-renowned architect and environmental crusader William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart in 2002.

E

Embodied Energy: The energy required to grow, harvest, extract, manufacture, refine, process, package, transport, install and dispose of a particular product or building material.

Engineered Wood: Reconstituted wood products that result in useable and consistent quality with less material. Engineered products use less wood and are generally stronger, straighter and more consistent then quality lumber. Examples include engineered I-beams, laminated veneer lumber, etc.

Eco-Friendly Textiles: These textiles include alpaca, bamboo, mohair, hemp, wool, cork, organic cotton, hemp and linen and recycled fibres

E-Waste: Electronic waste consisting of any discarded electronic appliances. Some hazardous materials contained within these appliances need special care when being disposed of as they can leak into groundwater or get incinerated and create toxic air pollution.

F

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): An international organization that brings groups together to find solutions which promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Learn more.

G

Glazing: Translucent or transparent material in exterior openings of a building, including windows, skylights, sliding doors and glass block.

Global Warming: Sometimes called climate change, global warming is when the Earth’s average temperature begins to rise. It is important because it can cause sea levels to rise, intensify storms and weather patterns, and increase the likelihood that diseases will spread faster and farther around the planet.

Greenhouse Gases: Allow solar radiation to reach the Earth’s surface and become absorbed, while trapping thermal radiation leaving the Earth’s surface. Outgoing thermal radiation absorbed by these gases heats the atmosphere.

Greywater: Water that has been used for showering, clothes washing and faucet uses, kitchen sink and toilet water excluded. This water can be reused in subsurface irrigation for yards.

Greenguard Environmental Institute: An indoor air quality (IAQ) resource that provides listings for products that are tested and, in turn, ensure that their chemical particles emissions meet acceptable IAQ pollutant guidelines. Learn more.

H

Hardwood vs. Softwood: Hardwood comes from deciduous trees that drop their leaves every year, whereas softwood comes from coniferous trees that have needles. Hardwood is more dense then soft. Examples of hardwoods are aspen, poplar, birch, elm, maple and oak. Examples of softwoods are pine, spruce, cedar, fir and Douglas fir. Softwoods are generally more expensive then hardwoods.

I

Incandescent Bulb: Incandescent bulbs are the most common and least energy-efficient. Electricity runs through a tungsten filament that glows and produces a soft, warm light. Much of the energy used ends up being lost as heat, which is why they are highly inefficient.

L

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL): A manufactured wood product similar to plywood made in thick sections with all the grain oriented one way for use as beams.

Landfills: Dump or trash site. Landfills take up land space that could be left natural or used for other purposes, and can lead to air and water pollution.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED):  A point-based rating system to assess new and existing commercial buildings for a variety of Earth-friendly features. Learn more.

M

Medium Density Fibre (MDF): Composite panel product generally made from wood fibres combined with a synthetic resin or other bonding system and joined together under heat and pressure. Used in kitchen cabinets, paneling, doors, jambs and millwork.

N

Non-Renewable Resources: Limited resources such as oil, natural gas and coal which are not sustainable. This means there is a danger the planet could run out and we’d have to seek out alternative replacements or solutions.

O

Organic: Production standards guide to define the product as being grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers human waste, or sewage sludge, and that were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.

Oriented Strand Board (OSB): A manufactured wood sheet product made from large flakes of wood pressed together with glue. OSB is used for structural sheathing and sub-floors.

Open-Loop: A process whereby a product of virgin material is recycled in the same product after use, for example, making new glass bottles out of recycled glass bottles.

P

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs): Organic compounds used as a fire retardant in mattresses, sofas, cushions, etc. that do not release carcinogens into the air.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET):  A thermoplastic material that is clear, tough and has a good gas moisture barrier. It is used often for drinking bottles and other blow-molded containers.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC):  A thermoplastic and one of the most valued products in the chemical industry. PVC is commonly known as the “Poison Plastic” because its lifecycle contains toxins such as mercury, dioxins and phthalates that can pose health threats. Dioxins and phthalates are carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) and are therefore extremely hazardous to the environment and human health.

R

Radon Gas: A radioactive, colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally in soil.

Renewable Resources: Natural resources that regenerate, such as wind, water, trees and sunlight. Other resources include cork, bamboo, beech wood, reclaimed lumber and recycled wood scraps, sustainable fibres like hemp, wool and jute, bent or molded plywood, stainless steel and corrugated cardboard.

Retrofit: The replacement, upgrade or improvement of a piece of equipment or structure in an existing building or facility. 

R-Value: Used to rate insulation, the R-value is a measurement of insulation’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the r-value, the better the insulation.

T

Thermal Mass: Materials that have a high capacity for absorbing heat and change temperature slowly. These materials are used to absorb and retain solar energy during the day for release at night or during cloudy periods. They include water, rocks, masonry and earth.

V

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC):  Any compounds that contain carbon and become a gas at room temperature. VOC emissions are regulated because they contribute to smog formation.

W

Weatherstripping: Thin strips of metal, rubber, vinyl or foam around doors and windows that prevent infiltration of air or moisture.