Air and water source heat pumps
Heat pumps extract the heat from an external source, which can then be used for space heating inside a building. Water source heat pumps are able to provide heating, including hot water, and whilst these are far more efficient they do take up a bit more space than air source heat pumps.

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
A precious landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so outstanding that it is in the nation's interest to safeguard them.

Biodegradable
A product compiled of natural materials that can be broken down into simple compounds and absorbed back into the eco system without harm if it has moisture, heat, and micro-organisms. Biodegradability is certified by The International Standards Organization (ISO) 14855, which requires 60 per cent biodegradation in 180 days.

Biodigester
A heated tank that produces combustible gas from waste organic matter, recycling plant nutrients and helping to reduce dependence on inorganic fertilisers, making it easier to grow organically.

Biodynamic
A method of organic farming and gardening so that they become self-sufficient in compost, manures and animal feeds. Astronomical calendars are used to determine timing for planting. Herb-based preparations that include some animal organs are also used. The Demeter symbol guarantees products have been produced biodynamically.

Biomass & Biofuel
Biomass is living and recently living biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production, for example trees and crops, even food waste or poultry litter. A biofuel is a fuel derived from such materials and can be both sustainable and carbon neutral.

Blood / conflict Diamonds
Rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legal governments, such as Sierra Leone in the 1990s.

Box scheme
A scheme to receive regular food produce (fruit and vegetables) that you can get from local farms and suppliers. These are usually local, seasonal and organic, minimising environmental impact, avoiding supermarket chains and promoting the local economy.

Carbon Capture
Technological solutions for capturing and storing carbon dioxide as it is released into the atmosphere thereby preventing its greenhouse effect.

Carbon Dioxide
The gas released into the atmosphere when carbon is burnt. Although not the only greenhouse gas, it is considered the most important.

Carbon Footprint
A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide or CO2 emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels; can be measured on a personal or national level, or according to a specific activity, such as taking a flight to go on holiday.

Carbon Neutral
An activity or process that doesn’t add to the net amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Is also used to describe a process which is offset (see carbon offset)

Carbon Offset
A carbon offset negates the overall amount of carbon released into the atmosphere by avoiding the release or removing it elsewhere – eg through a renewable energy or energy conservation project. Voluntary carbon offsetting schemes can can help people reduce their carbon footprint, but should only be used as a last resort. It is also important that a credible scheme is used – see www.cdmgoldstandard.org

Carbon Tax
A tax levied on fossil fuel usage usually based on the carbon content – generally designed to curb use rather than just raise revenue.

Carbon Trading
The trading of personal, corporate or national credits to maintain and gradually reduce carbon emissions. Companies, nations or individuals who beat the targets can sell the balance as credits to those that exceed their limits. The financial gain should lead to the reduction in emissions over time.

CHP
The simultaneous generation of usable heat and power (usually electricity) in a single process. CHP is a highly efficient way to use both fossil and renewable fuels and can therefore make a significant contribution to the UK’s sustainable energy goals, bringing environmental, economic, and social and energy security benefits.

Climate Change
The variation in the Earth’s global climate over time. Man-made climate change is a variation directly attributable to human behaviour.

Compostable
A product that breaks down speedily when in contact with oxygen and converts to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass. Compostability is certified by the European Norm EN13432, which requires 90 per cent biodegradation in 90 days.

Conservation
The protection of something – whether it is plants, animals habitat, wildlife, water, energy, soil, to ensure sustainability.

Cruelty Free
A definition to determine products that do not harm animals (through testing and vivisection). Many cruelty free products are now labelled with an independent guarantee, such as BUAV.

Degradable
A product that will naturally break down over time, such as tin that weathers and oxidises over time.

Ecological Footprint
The area of land and water a human population uses to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes, including carbon dioxide.

Energy Efficiency
Obtaining the same results without affecting the services provided, often achieved by technological advance. Also refers to cutting down on wasted energy. A good example is an energy efficient light bulb which produces the same amount of light as a conventional bulb but uses up to 75% less energy to do so.

Farmers’ Market
A market in which farmers, growers and producers sell their produce direct to the public. All products should be grown, reared, caught or prepared by the producer. Normally producers are local to the region and much of the produce is seasonal.

Food Miles
A measurement of the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is consumed. Generally the lower the food miles, the greener the product.

Fossil Fuels
Oil, natural gas and coal – formed in the ground from the remains of dead plants and animals over millions of years.

GDP
Stands for Gross Domestic Product and is a tool for measuring the economy of a country to determine wealth. Regularly used to compare countries, particularly developing countries and poverty rates.

Geothermic / ground source heat pumps
A sustainable method for heating, these retrieve heat from the warmer, stable underground temperatures where heat is stored. It can also supply cooling during summer by pumping heat back into the ground, similar to how a fridge’s heat pumps operate. The efficiency of a ground source heat pump system is measured by the coefficient of performance (known as CoP).

Genetically modified (GM) foods
Foods produced using Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) that have had their DNA altered through genetic engineering. Most popular products are soya, cotton and corn. They are produced to lower the price of a product and for perceived greater benefit such as durability or nutritional value. There is controversy over GM foods for the fact it is not known fully what negative impact this could have on the environment, such as stability of the gene and the susceptibility of non-target organisms. It has also been suggested that they promote allergic reactions and adversely affect human health.

Global Warming
The gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. The majority of scientists agree that the current warming we are experiencing is caused by the the release of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels and other industrial processes.

Green energy
Another way to describe renewable energy it ensures that energy is sourced through sustainable methods such as wind or solar power, rather than from those that run out such as fossil fuels.

Greenhouse Gas
A gas that absorbs infra-red radiation (ie the sun’s heat and energy) in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs), ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

Greenhouse Effect
The trapping of the sun’s heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, so leading to global warming. It is because we are adding to the greenhouses gases in the atmosphere that we are altering the delicate balance that has kept the Earth’s climate relatively stable.

Greywater
Non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic processes. It can be recycled to provide water for washing or flushing toilets or to water the garden. It is not suitable for drinking.

Hydropower
Hydroelectric or hydraulic power is a renewable energy in which you can get your energy from the moving of water. It has been used for centuries to make work easier through utilising water mills and water wheels.

Insulation
A material or combination of materials which slows down the transfer of heat, encouraging energy efficiency in a building. Insulation can be in various forms including greener options such as recycled newspapers and sheep’s wool.

Local and Seasonal Food
Refers to food which is produced close to you and according to the national seasons and traditional growing cycles – this doesn’t include food supplied out of season by artificial means, such as strawberries grown in winter greenhouses or dwarf beans flown in from Africa. Generally local and seasonal food will be more naturally produced and much less processed. It also requires far less packaging and transportation.

LEDs
An energy efficient alternative for illumination, using nearly six times less wattage for light output than an incandescent light bulb. LEDS have been used since the 1960s for powering our alarm clocks, but it’s only recently when researchers discovered a method for them to produce white light.

Micro-Generation
The small-scale generation of energy, by for example solar panels or domestic wind turbines, and often refers to generation from renewable sources at a domestic or small community level.

Nanotechnology
The control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale. There are environmental and human health concerns for using nanotechnology by various campaign organisations.

Natural Dye
A method to change the colour of fabrics (i.e. clothing) using only colourings from natural, plant-derived sources, such as turmeric and indigo.

Nuclear Power
Generates electricity using heat produced by an atomic reaction. The process of generation produces negligible amounts of carbon which is why nuclear is put forward as one way of reducing global carbon footprints. However, the huge financial expense, the storage of spent radioactive materials, the safety record and potential for serious disaster like Chernobyl, and the carbon cost of extracting uranium ore to use as fuel are powerful arguments against the adoption of more nuclear power stations.

Organic Food
Food grown to verified organic standards which avoid genetically modified organisms, synthetic chemical inputs (such as pesticides and additives), and which often protect the natural environment and biodiversity. Standards vary from country to country. The UK organic certification standards are amongst the most stringent.

PET
Stands for Polyethylene terephthalate, a thermoplastic part of the polymer family and used to produce recyclable bottles.

Planet-Friendly
Products, services or actions that do not negatively impact on the Earth and its resources.

Rainwater Harvesting
A term to describe the collection of rainwater in a systematic way such as a water butt to then be recycled and used for other purposes.

Renewable Energy
Energy obtained from sources that do not run out – unlike oil and coal. Examples include wood, wind, solar, geothermal, tidal and waste. The UK, and Scotland in particular, has an abundance of resources for the generation of renewable energy.

Responsible tourism
A term to describe considered efforts to reduce environmental impact (for example through carbon offsetting), to prevent harm to wildlife and plant species through reckless behavior by tourists. Also includes being culturally sensitive and interacting with local communities thus benefitting local economies, (for example through practicing fair trade)

Slow Food
A movement for enjoying the sensual pleasures of food, rediscovering the flavours and savours of regional cooking and preserving a culture of proper food cultivation and cooking. The movement has initiatives designed to identify, preserve and protect threatened food and drink products, rare breeds or species.

Slow Travel
A movement inspired by Slow Food to enjoy the travelling part of a journey rather than the mere destination, avoiding short haul flights and thus reducing your carbon footprint.

Smart meter
An advanced electrical meter for domestic use that show you how much energy you are using at any given time. They can show you which household appliances are costing the most to run and save you money on your energy bills.

Solar PV
Stands for Photo Voltaic and is a form of renewable energy by converting light into electricity through solar cells that have a layer or two of a semi conducting material such as silicon, creating an electric field.

Soya
Comes from the seed of the leguminous soya bean plant. It is a good meat-substitute with nutritional benefit. Soya foods include tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (chunks, mince etc), miso, soya sauces, soya oil and margarine, and soya dairy alternatives. Organic soya products are available.

Stern Report
A 700-page report written by Sir Nicholas Stern for the British Government on the global economic effects of climate change and global warming. Has been adopted worldwide.

Sustainable Development
Economic development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The Kimberley Process
A governmental, industry and civil society initiative that ensures rough diamonds have been legitimately purchased and are conflict-free. The Kimberley Process certifies diamonds for export and import purposes, and guarantees they are conflict-free.
Vintage

VOC
Stands for Volatile Organic Compounds, which are materials that evaporate readily from commonly occurring sources such as vehicle exhausts, cleaning agents, furniture polish and fabric softeners. These also include solvents used in coatings, as well as thinners and brush cleaners. In the presence of sunlight, these VOCs can react with nitrogen oxides to create ground level ozone and photochemical smogs. These in turn can contribute to pollution of the atmosphere.

Waste management
The collection, transport, processing and disposal of waste materials from human activity. Considering methods of waste management such as recycling minimises environmental impact and promotes sustainability.

Wetlands
Where land and water meets. Rebeds, bogs, swamps, marshes, wet grasses, tidal mud flats, sandbanks and a whole range of different habitats are examples. The preservation of wetlands is important for various reasons, including for increasing biodiversity, storing carbon and for storm water retention (thus preventing flooding).

Wind Turbine
A modern day windmill for producing electricity from the energy contained in the wind.

Yurt
Like a tipi, these are sheltered accommodation based on structures that nomadic peoples of central Asia have been using as their homes for thousands of years. To build them the wood is cut and then stripped, worked, shaped and steamed by hand, with low environmental impact.