Green Glossary
Aerobic (Composting)
Occurring in the presence of oxygen.
Affluenza
A psychological illness associated with the desire to achieve wealth and success byway of living a consumeristic, materialistic lifestyle and even playing a dangerous game of Keeping up with the Joneses. Those inflicted suffer from chronic dissatisfaction, feeling unfilled, anxious, isolated, and unmotivated. BEWARE: Affluenza is highly contagious and socially transmittable.
Agriculture
The science, art, or practice of cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock. There are many different types of agriculture systems which can most easily be defined and differentiated from one another by considering how the given system manages its landscape. On a continuum from “simplified” (doesn’t consider the landscape, sucks & is fucking up our planet) to “complex” (considers the landscape, doesn’t suck, and can save the planet) one could put agriculture systems in the following order:
Industrial
Conventional
Certified Organic Farming & Traditional Farming
Agroecology & Regenerative Agriculture
Anaerobic (Composting)
Occurring in the absence of oxygen.
Biodegradable:
A product or substance that can decompose naturally with the help of bacteria or living organisms. Biodegradable products are often made from a combination of plant and petroleum-based sources. In order to earn a biodegradable label, products must break down in a relatively short amount of time (usually less than 9 months) under certain conditions and specifications. The word biodegradable often goes hand in hand with greenwashing — marketing executives LOVE this word.
Pros:
They don’t require as much petroleum-based inputs as regular plastic products do.
Cons:
Oftentimes biodegradable products aren’t actually ending up in conditions suitable for them to break down and can release methane due to their bio-based composition... i.e. they don’t biodegrade.
IF they biodegrade... oy. The fact that these products are petroleum-based means that we are left with a bunch of microplastics which are REALLY harmful to our planet and all the beings on it (plants, animals, us, water, etc.). In fact, plastics are regularly found in our food, air, water, and soil.
Biomimicry
A practice of looking to nature for inspiration to design and produce materials, structures, and systems or to solve design “problems” in a regenerative way. Biomimicry literally mimics the strategies found in the natural world. Using biomimicry not only offers us hope in design, because we know the solutions already exist in the natural world, but it also empowers us to get to solutions faster because we already have the biological blueprints to refer to. Biomimicry is about valuing nature for what we can learn, not what we can extract, harvest, or domesticate. Biomimicry has been applied successfully in various fields such as agriculture, architecture, construction, energy, fashion, food waste, and transportation to name a few.
Black Gold
See Compost
Bokashi (Compost)
A Japanese term meaning “fermented organic matter”. It’s often referred to as compost, but is distinctively different: Compost is decomposed organic matter and Bokashi is fermented organic matter. The end product of Bokashi is “pre-compost” and must be added to compost before it can be used so it can decompose.
“Browns” (Compost)
Refers to high carbon materials that are added to compost. These include leaves, wood chips and shavings, straw, shredded newspaper, and woody yard and garden trimmings.
Carbon
The basic building block of life. Carbon gets a really bad rep, however, carbon in of itself is not a problem; the problem is that it’s in the wrong place. Humans are 18% carbon, plants are 45% carbon, and without any carbon in our atmosphere to trap the sun’s heat & energy here on Earth our oceans would be frozen and everything would be dead. So, carbon is good, but too much carbon is NOT good. Right now, we have too much carbon dioxide in our atmosphere which is heating up our planet dangerously fast. The majority of human generated CO2 comes from the burning of fossil fuels, conventional agriculture, and deforestation.
The latest measurement of CO2 in our atmosphere reached an all-time scary high of 419.75 ppm (parts per million) in May 2021. According to NASA, we need to bring this level back down to 350ppm to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Carbon Cycle
The continuous movement of carbon in various forms (such as CO2 or CH4) between living organisms and Earth’s ecosystems (such as land, ocean, atmosphere) through natural processes like photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition in the soil, and the burning of fossil fuels. As you may have guessed, a lot of the shit we do really fucks with the Carbon Cycle, hence why we have way too much CO2 in the atmosphere.
Carbon Footprint
The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by or associated with all the activities of a person, event, group, organization, country, product, etc.
Carbon Sequestration
The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide into the ground or ocean with the goal of reducing carbon dioxide atmosphere and thereby reducing global climate change. A report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies soil carbon sequestration as having the greatest potential for reducing emissions at the lowest cost.
The title of an August 2020 interview published by Jennifer Hayden, PhD is a fabulous way to think about how we can drawdown carbon back to where it belongs: “Soil Carbon Sequestration is a Natural Consequence of Doing Things Right”. For instance, with the help of less than a half-inch of compost on just 5% of California’s rangelands, 28 million tons of carbon would be sequestered from the atmosphere into the ground where it belongs! V affordable. V smart.
Carbon Sink
Anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases and can suck up and store the excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Examples include plants, the ocean, and soil. IMO, since it’s blatantly obvious we desperately need carbon sinks more than ever, we should ensure that every single ecosystem that sequesters excess carbon dioxide is protected through something like an Endangered Ecosystem Act.
Circular Economy
Sometimes called a Closed Loop System, is a restorative economic system that rebuilds economic, natural, and social capital byway of three principles: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. It can be thought of as the opposite of the unsustainable “take-make-waste” system or linear economy that we’re most familiar with today. In addition to the positive impacts the circular economy would have for the environment, human psyche, and social value system, it would have tremendous impacts on the worldwide economy. For example, the current global fashion industry is valued at $3b, but according to reports has the potential to reach $5b as it moves towards circularity.
Climate
A general description of the average long-term weather patterns in a region.
Climate vs. Weather: The difference between climate and weather is a measure of time. Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere in a region over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere “behaves” over relatively long periods of time.
Climate Change
Refers to the long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns. Without the interference of human activity, this takes place gradually over hundreds of thousands of years. When we talk about Climate Change today we’re usually referring to the rise in global temperatures from the mid-20th century to present day due to human activity such as burning fossil fuels, conventional agriculture, and deforestation which has enhanced the greenhouse effect.
Compost
The dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich material produced by the decomposition of organic materials. Often referred to as Black Gold because it is so valuable, compost improves the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of soil when applied as an amendment.
Composting
The transformation of organic materials, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, into compost via the process of aerobic decomposition with help from microorganisms which break down the organic materials. Composting is nature’s way of recycling and would happen with or without human intervention. However, we can help speed up the process by creating ideal conditions (adequate airflow, sufficient moisture, and the right ratio of ingredients) for microorganisms to thrive and for decomposition to take place.
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)
Resource-intensive, large-scale industrial agriculture operation that houses hundreds to millions of animals in cramped quarters. CAFOs are classified by the type and number of animals they trap in their nasty ass facility. CAFOs receive a fuck ton of taxpayer subsidies in the form of milk price support guarantees, federal EQIP money through the Farm Bill, Development Right Agreements, tax abatements, grants, bonds, and even economic development funds for roads despite the fact their existence only benefits a few small investors and has devastating ecological and health impacts on the people funding their existence (us). According to the FoodPrint Organization, property values near CAFOs can drop as much as 88%!
Decomposition
The breakdown of organic matter into nutrients that can be used by other organisms.
Degeneration
The process by which something or someone declines or deteriorates physically, mentally, or morally to a point that’s not considered normal or desirable and may be irreversible. Degeneration of our land and economy is caused by extractive practices which runs counter to how natural systems work — Natural systems of the living world thrive by continually recycling life’s building blocks, but industrial activity and design over the past 200 years has been based upon a linear system that follows a “take-make-waste” model. While this model has delivered strong profits to many businesses and financially enriched many nations in the process, it is fundamentally flawed because it doesn’t account for externalities and it has broken the natural cycles of the resources that are used for commodification making the industrial activity unsustainable from a business and economic perspective alone.
Desertification
A type of land degradation that can be characterized by the droughts and arid conditions the landscape endures as a result of human exploitation of fragile ecosystems. Effects include land degradation, soil erosion and sterility, and a loss of biodiversity, with huge economic costs for nations where deserts are growing. Desertification refers to the process by which fertile land becomes desert.
Eco-conscious
A way of being that respects the natural world and focuses on reducing harm to the environment wherever possible.
Eco-friendly
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines eco-friendly as “not harmful to the environment”, however, this is not how the term is most often used. The term is generally understood as encompassing environmentally minded actions or describing people, places, and things that cause minimal harm to the earth. I prefer to use the term eco-conscious, because I believe it sets a more realistic precedent.
Ecological Footprint
A measure that compares human demand of Earth’s ecosystems (i.e. how fast we consume resources and generate waste) with the ability of the Earth’s ecosystem to meet this demand (i.e. how fast nature can absorb our waste and generate new resources).
Ecosystem Function
The capacity of natural processes and components to provide goods and services that satisfy human needs, either directly or indirectly.
Ecological Resilience
The capacity of an ecosystem to 1) withstand repeated disturbance and shocks; 2) adapt to change without fundamentally shifting into a qualitatively different state; 3) rebuild itself if damaged.
Ecological Services
Functions performed free of charge by Mother Nature. There are four major categories of ecosystem services:
Provisioning: Products obtained from an ecosystem. Ex) water, food, timber, medicines
Regulating: Benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes. Ex) flood control, disease control, water purification, pollination, erosion control
Cultural: Non-material benefits people obtain from the ecosystem. Ex) recreation, cognitive development, cultural activities, and spiritual enrichment
Supporting: Services necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services and to maintain the conditions for life on Earth. Ex) Soil formation, nutrient cycling
Ecosystem Thinking
A whole and complete way of thinking which acknowledges the interconnectedness of all life forms. This way of thinking acknowledges and embraces all life forms and understands that diversity = resilience and that we [living beings] are stronger together than we are alone. Ecological thinking recognizes the balancing mechanism that nature is and respects and supports it.
End-of-Life:
In reference to a product or material, the end-of-life describes how a person should handle an item at “the end of its life”. For instance, the online store Package-Free provides “end-of-life” information for their products. The end-of-life instructions for Marley’s Monsters products (which I love btw) are to remove the thread, which can be recycled with textile recycling, and put the rest in your compost (although they should last decades with proper care). Expect to see more “end-of-life” information provided on products in the near future! YAY!
If you’re a real climate crusader (like me), send a DM or email to your favorite brand and ask what the end-of-life instructions for their products are, even if you don’t think they 1) know the answer or 2) are willing to share the answer. Why? It will help them realize potential customers care about this stuff. Keep me posted when you do! I love to see everyone’s approach for asking brands these questions and would love to hear what they have to say!
[Environmental] Full-Cost Pricing or Accounting
A method of accounting or pricing which, in addition to considering the direct costs of a given project or product, also takes into consideration the indirect costs. These indirect costs, also known as externalities, are the economic, environmental, health, and social consequences of a project or product at all stages of its lifecycle and on ALL stakeholders. One may also refer to this type of accounting or pricing as “smart” and “using common sense”.
[Soil] Erosion
The geological process in which wind, rain or irrigation water, ice or other natural or anthropogenic (human-caused) agents abrade, detach and remove soil from one point of the earth’s surface and deposit it elsewhere. Some examples of anthropogenic activity that cause erosion are poor agricultural practices (overgrazing, use of chemical inputs, lack of cover crops) and deforestation. A few repercussions of erosion include the loss of arable land for us to grow food on, clogged and polluted waterways, and increased flooding, drought, and wildfires.
FDR said it best: “A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself”. When erosion washes away soils, it undermines the carrying capacity of land for human population. The USDA estimates that the total annual cost to society of erosion from agriculture in the U.S. is about $44 billion, with some lands losing more than 50% of their previous productivity. I bet if these costs were internalized things would change real quick.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
A form of product stewardship in which manufacturers and brand owners (known as producers) are responsible for the products they make or sell and any of its associated packaging during the entirety of the products lifecycle: design, material sourcing, production, distribution, product use, repair, product collection, recycling, and end-of-life.
Externality
An external side effect or consequence of a consumption, production, or investment decision that (1) affects other parties who were not involved in the decision making process and (2) are not reflected in the cost of the good or service involved. Externalities can be positive or negative, but in the case of environmental economics, they are usually negative. Really negative.
Externalities pose fundamental economic policy problems and market inefficiencies when these indirect costs or benefits of decisions are not internalized. In some circumstances, they may prevent markets from emerging. Although there is room for market-based corrective solutions, government intervention is often required to ensure that benefits and costs are fully internalized. My assessment with regards to externalities, is that they are created by those who are ignorant and/or selfish and greedy. Sometimes people who aren’t that bright or don’t have experience in making decisions lack the ability to understand that some activities that appear expensive in the short-term are actually low-cost approaches in the long-term.
A classic example of an externality is when a polluter makes decisions based only on the direct cost of and profit opportunity from production and does not consider the indirect costs to those harmed by the pollution. Since the indirect costs are not borne by the producer, and therefore not passed on to the end user of the goods produced by the polluter, the social or total costs of production are larger than the private costs.
Fast Fashion
A design, manufacturing, and marketing method focused on mass producing cheap garments at warp speed and selling them at an extremely low price point. Fast Fashion sucks. It sucks for the person buying them because it’s made of crap quality, it sucks for the environment, and it sucks for the garment workers who are exploited and taken advantage of both in the U.S. and abroad. It’s also a slap in the face to the artistic integrity of true fashion and the designers whose work is often knocked off by the fast fashion industry.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are a natural, nonrenewable resource made from the decomposition and fossilization of plants and animals over the course of millions of years. These fuels are found in the Earth’s crust, and because of their origin, have a high carbon content. Coal, energy, and natural gas are all examples of fossil fuels which we use for energy. Before we can use them for energy we need to mine or drill them then need to burn or refine them. Unfortunately, this puts our planet (and consequently, us) through the ringer. The mining and drilling process severely degrades our land, contaminates a shit ton of our water, leads to the emissions of harmful air pollutants, and further enhances the greenhouse effect.
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)
An organism containing genetic material that has been modified so as to produce a desired characteristic, like not dying after being doused in poison. History: Chemical inputs (like glyphosate) were introduced to kill weeds, pests, and fungi. Once these chemical inputs were applied they killed the crops they were meant to protect (because it’s poison, duh). So companies (like Monsanto) developed GMO seeds that could withstand the chemical inputs.
Global Warming
The long-term heating of Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities which increases greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. The term is frequently used interchangeably with Climate Change, though Climate Change refers to both human and naturally produced warming whereas Global Warming only refers to human produced warming.
Glyphosate
A non-selective herbicide (meaning it will kill most plants) brought to market by Monsanto-Bayer in 1974, after the ban of DDT. The toxic chemical is in over 750 different products sold in the U.S., but most well known for its use in Monsanto-Bayer’s RoundUp product.
How it works: It prevents plants from making certain proteins needed for plant growth and stops a specific enzyme pathway which is necessary for plants and some organisms. This pathway, known as the shikimic acid pathway, was originally thought to only exist in plants...
Why it sucks: As it turns out humans and animals have our own shikimate pathway present in our gut! It plays a vital role in our bodies regulation and immune function. Now we know that glyphosate is linked to a laundry list of health problems, such as: ADHD, Alzheimer's, birth defects (higher rates of spontaneous abortions, shortened pregnancies, and cognitive abnormalities for the baby), multiple cancers, celiac disease and gluten intolerances, chronic kidney diseases, diabetes, liver disease, microbiome disruption, and so many more.
Check out the U.S. Right to Know’s website to learn more about the negative impacts that glyphosate has on all life forms, how it’s nearly impossible to avoid entirely due to its spread via pollination and runoff, and actions taken by Monsanto-Bayer to hide the information by controlling scientific studies and settling lawsuits that alleged it caused plaintiffs cancer.
As of today, the EPA still claims that glyphosate is safe, while countries like Mexico have announced they are banning the toxin. What a joke. If you think someone over at the EPA is getting laid and/or paid by someone over at Monsanto-Bayer… same.
Green
Blanket term applied to almost anything related to benefiting the environment or minimizing environmental damage, but doesn’t really carry any weight because it’s so vague.
“Greens” (Compost)
Refers to high nitrogen materials that are added to compost. These include raw vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, fresh grass clippings, and garden scraps. High-nitrogen materials help the microbes produce proteins. Greens often can also provide needed moisture in the pile.
Greenhouse Effect
A natural process that warms the Earth’s surface: when the sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases. Without this effect, there would be no life on Earth. However, we have an issue now where this greenhouse effect has been enhanced. Human activities (like burning fossil fuels, conventional agriculture, and land clearing) have increased the concentrations of greenhouse gases and trap extra heat, resulting in the warming of our planet. Even if we were to stop all activity associated with the increase in greenhouse gases tomorrow, we would still have a problem because the extra greenhouse gases in our atmosphere will continue to warm the planet. A fabulous way to combat and mitigate this is to sequester carbon from the atmosphere back into our soil where it belongs.
Greenhouse Gas
Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases are: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), fluorinated gases, and water vapor.
Greenwashing
The attempt to scam potential customers, the general public, and sometimes even certification programs or regulatory bodies into believing something (such as an initiative, product, program, or service) is good for the planet by excessive or false claims, deceptive marketing, untruthful reporting, and fraudulent environmental activism. It’s slimy and lame AF.
Land Degradation
The state or process of being or becoming degenerate; decline or deterioration.
75% of land worldwide has been degraded.
1/3 of farmable land has been lost to degradation in the past 40 years.
Every year, we lose an average of 30 million acres farmable land to degradation worldwide.
Throughout history, 20 major civilizations have collapsed due to land and soil degradation.
Landfill
A site where municipal, industrial, or chemical wastes are disposed of by burying them in the ground or placing them on the ground and covering with Earth. Terracycle describes the process of landfilling well: it effectively mummifies the material, as very little decomposition can occur due to the lack of air circulation and sunlight. Historically, they were placed anywhere cheap and convenient, which was frequently on the site of a natural gully or ravine or a section of wetlands (not good). While finding places for new landfills is extremely challenging due to the NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude, at least more thought and care is taken into account than in the past, though usually the most vulnerable communities end up dealing with these LULUs (locally unwanted land use) because we live in a world where there is this thing called money and people who have it can use it to make *problems magically disappear*. Problems with landfills include leachate generation, groundwater contamination, methane production, incomplete decomposition, and settling.
Leachate Generation
The process in which materials in or on the soil gradually dissolve and are carried by water seeping through the soil. Leaching may eventually remove valuable nutrients from the soil or may carry liquid that’s leached from landfills into the soil thereby contaminating it.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
An objective system of reviewing every stage of a product, process, or activity’s lifecycle and its environmental impacts. In the case of a product, for instance, the LCA would include the design, material sourcing, production, distribution, product use, repair, product collection, recycling, and end-of-life.
Localvore
Someone who only consumes food that has been cultivated locally.
Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
A processing plant in which regionalized recycling is carried out.
Methane (CH4)
A hydrocarbon (chemical compound) that is a primary component of natural gas as well as a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG), which means that its presence in the atmosphere affects Earth’s temperature and climate system. Methane is emitted from a variety of anthropogenic (human-influenced) and natural sources. Anthropogenic emission sources include landfills, oil and gas, agricultural activities, coal mining, stationary and mobile combustion, wastewater treatment, and certain industrial processes. Methane only lasts in our atmosphere for about a decade which is much shorter than other GHGs, but it’s potent AF and wreaks serious havoc. Over a 20 year scale, methane’s heat-trapping effects and global warming potential (GWP) is between 84-86x more potent than CO2. The long-term effects of its short-term temperature surges can be irreversible, such as the melting sea ice in the Arctic which threatens so much more than just our coastline.
This all sounds super scary (because it is), but the kicker is that reducing our methane emissions ASAP can turn down the dial on climate change pretty quickly. Methane reductions over the next few years is a prime opportunity and a major weapon for us in the fight against climate change.
Microorganisms
Microscopic organisms that are EVERYWHERE. Just as they are vital in our own bodies, they are vital to every ecosystem on Earth where they have large roles in decomposition, oxygen production, fixation, evolution, and symbiotic relationships with other organisms. For instance, a strong presence of healthy microbes in our soil means we likely have a strong presence of plants growing from our soil! Plants and microbes have a mutually beneficial relationship where plants provide microbes water and energy (via photosynthesis) and microbes provide the plants with nutrients. Types of microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
Microplastics
Tiny plastic particles that are either designed for commercial use (such as cosmetics, fishing nets, or microfibers on textiles) or are the result of larger plastics breaking down. As a pollutant, microplastics are harmful to the environment, animals, and us. They’ve been detected in all types of marine animals and, really alarmingly, in our drinking water. Our standard water treatment facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics, so yeah... fuck. I used to think I was just ingesting plastic when I ate sushi, but nope. We may or may not be drinking plastic every day. SWEET.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
The entirety of trash that a municipality generates and is responsible for collecting and disposing of. Solid waste is quite literally anything that is solid and put in the trash vs. liquid waste which are flushed down sewers.
Naked Packaging or Package-Free
Expect to see these terms more often. Products that are sold in “naked packaging” or are “package-free” either, quite literally, are sold without any packaging at all or in a very minimal amount of packaging which is 100% recyclable, compostable or legally necessary. Naked Packaging or Package-Free items help us cut down on the energy and resources it takes to source, make, and transport the packaging material to wherever the products are packaged AND helps us cut down on the energy and resources required to deal with the packaging once we rip it off the product and it becomes “garbage”.
Caution: If a company toutes itself as eco-friendly because of their “100% plant derived packaging” DO NOT GET THAT EXCITED. Plant-derived packaging, though easily biodegradable compared to conventional packaging, is not in itself that great for the environment.
Narrative Food Labels
A new type of label proposed by the Slow Food Movement that, along with all the information required by law, includes in-depth, precise information about the product through details like: information about producers and their companies, the plant varieties or animal breeds used, cultivation methods, types of chemical inputs (if any), weed and pest control practices, and irrigation methods. Quality is expressed by understanding how good, clean, and fair a product is. By telling the full story about a product through a narrative label, consumers are able to make more informed decisions that reflect their taste buds and values.
Natural Capital
The stock of ecological assets that yield goods and services on a continuous basis and are essential for basic human needs and economic production. Natural capital includes nonrenewable resources, renewable resources, and ecosystem services. Main functions include resource production (such as fish, fossil fuels, medicine from plants, or timber), waste assimilation (such as CO2 absorption or sewage decomposition) and life support services (such as biodiversity, climate stability, and purification of air and water). If properly managed, natural capital is a form of wealth that can produce “income” indefinitely. Unfortunately, natural capital hasn’t been managed that well and unsurprisingly, like externalities, natural capital is often left off balance sheets.
Organic materials
Anything that was once alive and can be decomposed.
Photosynthesis
You probably already know that plants need sunlight, water, and soil to grow, but none of these things are actually considered food. These are the ingredients that plants use during the process of photosynthesis to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar (glucose).
Recycle
The action or process of recovering material from waste and turning it into reusable material for new products.
Regenerate
The process of renewal, restoration, and regrowth of a system to make it more active and successful after long periods of extractive practices. I believe we need to work towards regenerative practices in everything we do because merely being sustainable isn’t enough for us to thrive. Whether we are talking about regenerating our planet, our business, our community, or relationships with others and ourselves, I believe it is important to take a regenerative approach vs. a sustainable approach.
Regenerative Healthcare
A system in which farming and healthcare work together to inform prevention-based approach to human and environmental health. Rather than relying on toxic chemicals to solve agricultural issues and pharmaceutical intervention to manage disease, Regenerative Healthcare aims to prevent disease through an organic, whole-foods, plant-forward diet that begins on farms that work in harmony with nature.
Single-Use
Items used one time and then discarded. Gross. Avoid at all costs.
Slow Fashion
A thoughtful, intentional, and holistic way of designing, manufacturing, marketing, and consuming clothing that is all about quality over quantity and focuses on reducing our consumption of clothes. It emphasizes building a wardrobe with timeless staples rather than buying boat loads of “trendy” clothes that are cheaply made.
Slow Food
A concept and culinary movement that will make any true foodie’s giddy with pleasure just thinking about. The Slow Food movement was founded in Italy by Carlo Petrini as a response to the negative impact of multinational food industries on his community. The Slow Food concept envisions a food system that is based on the principles of high quality and taste, environmental sustainability, and social justice. In essence, it's a food system that is good, clean and fair. It seeks to move our culture away from the destructive effects of an industrial food system and fast life; toward the regenerative cultural, social and economic benefits of a sustainable food system, including regional food traditions, the pleasures of the table, and a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life. YUM. HERE FOR IT. Check out more here.
Standard American Diet
A diet characterized by the excessive consumption of calories from processed and industrialized foods; inadequate consumption of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables; and excessive intake of sodium and chemical additives.
The Standard American Diet is intertwined with highly industrialized, chemical-intensive farming methods that are a result of government policies that incentivize 1) quantity over quality and 2) the production of crops that are easy to ship, store, and process over those that are more fragile, such as fruits and vegetables. Today, “speciality crops” including fruits, vegetables, and nuts are grown on just 3% of cropland in the United States! Most of this cropland is located in California, which is scary because 1) drought; 2) it’s in California… which is not central to most of the U.S., increasing everyone’s carbon footprint.
Stewardship
The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. The EPA defines environmental stewardship as the responsibility for environmental quality shared by all those whose actions affect the environment (basically everyone). This sense of responsibility is a value that can be reflected through the choices of individuals, companies, communities, and government organizations, and shaped by unique environmental, social, and economic interests. It’s also a behavior demonstrated through continuous improvement of environmental performance, and a commitment to efficient use of natural resources, protection of ecosystems, and, where applicable, ensuring a baseline of compliance with environmental requirements. We are all stewards of Planet Earth and should try to live our lives in a way that embodies this truth.
Sustainable
Using resources at a rate that allows for natural regeneration to take place so that the resources are never used up or destroyed. With regards to our planet, we’ve degenerated it so much to the point where we can’t simply “sustain” our way out of the current crisis. Sustainability isn’t good enough and is a scarcity mindset.
Think of it this way: if you break your leg, your goal isn’t to sustain it. WTF would that do? Your leg would be broken forever. If you break your leg you’ll want to get it reset by a doctor, take time to rest and recover, and go to physical therapy to regrow any damaged tissue and rebuild strength. You may even want to build your leg back stronger than before so that you can handle more physical activity without injury. I believe we need to shift our goal away from simply sustaining our planet to regenerating it instead.
Waste Hierarchy
An evaluation tool that represents an order of preference for taking action to reduce and manage waste. USE IT.
Wishcycling
An aspirational approach to recycling items that aren’t actually recyclable.
Zero Waste
As defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA), zero waste is the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health. Zero waste is economical, efficient, and ethical.