Green Glossary – E | 1-800-Recycling

Green Glossary – E

E-10 Unleaded: The most common blend of ethanol and gasoline in the US--consisting of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent unleaded gasoline.
E-85: A blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline, which is becoming a more popular alternative fuel.
E-waste: Waste generated from the use of electronic products such as computers, printers and mobile phone devices. Because of the fast turnover in technology, obsolete electronic gear is accumulating worldwide as a major amount of global waste.
Earth Day: April 22 has been designated as Earth Day as a reminder to appreciate the environment and inspire awareness for issues that are significant to protecting and sustaining the Earth's natural resources.
Eco-label: A logo placed on product labels, to indicate that only environment-friendly and sustainable practices were used in manufacturing the labeled products.
Ecobags: Short for eco-friendly bags, ecobags are a new fashion accessory trend borne out of the environmental concern for using less plastic shopping bags that are a major contributor to landfill dumping.
Ecocity: A city designed and built with careful consideration for environmental sustainability and human health.
Ecocity Builders: A non-profit organization that aims to change cities, towns and villages for the purpose of promoting the long term health of its inhabitants and its natural environment.
Ecodesign: Ecodesign is a movement that considers how materials, products, architecture, engineering and processes are created in order to protect and sustain the environment.
Ecological Debt: The sum of annual ecological deficits.
Ecological Deficit/Reserve: The difference between the biocapacity and ecological footprint of a region or country.
Ecological Economics: An academic field that studies the interdependence and co-evolution of human economies and natural ecosystems.
Ecological Footprint: Biologically productive land and water area required to produce resources consumed and absorb waste generated, within a specific population of people. Ecological footprint data can be applied at scales from single products to households, cities, nations, and the global population as a whole.
Ecological Health Ranking: How a chemical's adverse effect on plants and animals compares with that of other chemicals in a relative ranking system.
Ecological Impact: The effect that a man-caused or natural activity has on living organisms and their non-living (abiotic) environment.
Ecological Indicator: Specific information that are used to describe the conditions of a given ecosystem--specifically how human activity affects its natural environment.
Ecological Overshoot: Ecological overshoot occurs when a population’s demand on an ecosystem exceeds the capacity of that ecosystem to regenerate the resources it consumes and absorb its wastes.
Ecological Risk Assessment: A study that makes use of a formal framework to determine the effects of a specific human endeavor on natural resources and the environment.
Ecological Sanitation: Also known as ecosan, ecological sanitation is a new way of sanitizing blackwater contaminated by human feces and urine.
Ecological Zoning: Assessing, delineating and marking areas based on their biophysical attributes for regulating land use and use of natural resources in aid of environmental protection.
Ecological/Environmental Sustainability: Maintenance of ecosystem components and functions for future generations.
Ecology: The study of environmental systems, sometimes referred to as the economy of nature.
Ecophysiology: A branch of biology that studies how living organisms adapt their physiology to environmental conditions. For instance, with regard to plant life, physiological ecologists, address ecological questions about the controls over the growth, reproduction, survival, abundance, and geographical distribution of plants, as these processes are affected by interactions between plants with their physical, chemical, and biotic environment.
Ecopsychology: A study that draws from ecology, psychology, philosophy and other fields that aims to understand and support man's close connection to his natural environment.
Ecoregion: Large areas of land ecologically defined by their biodiversity and general characteristics of their ecosystems.
Ecosystem: The interacting system of a biological community and its non-living environmental surroundings.
Ecosystem Engineer: Any biological organism that creates or modifies habitats.
Ecosystem Services: The benefits people rely upon from ecosystems or natural habitats.
Ecosystems Ecology: A category of ecological study that focuses on the structure and function of the entire system of microbes, plants, and animals and their environment and how all parts and organisms interact to make up an ecosystem.
Ecotourism: Short for ecological tourism, ecotourism promotes travel to destinations that promote and safeguard natural areas while improving the well-being of local people. Ecotourism unites the principles of conservation, community-building and sustainable travel.
Ecotoxic: Characteristic of a substance or mixture presenting environmental danger or destruction.
Ecotoxicology: The core study area in environmental safety that examines the biological and toxic effects of natural or synthetic pollutants on animal, human, plant or microbial ecosystems.
Ecozone: Also known as a biogeographic realm an ecozone is the largest scale biogeographic division of land surface.
eCycling: The safe, environmentally-prudent reuse and recycle of electronic products such as computers and cellular phones.
Eemian: A geological interval of warmer global average temperature (interglacial period) that separates glacial periods within an ice age beginning about 130 thousand years ago and ending about 16 thousand years later.
Effluents: Discharge of liquid waste or pollution. Effluents can contain bacteria, viruses, excessive nutrient loads and chemicals that are harmful to wildlife, humans and ecosystems.
El Niño: El Nino is a disruption in the Pacific ocean atmosphere system characterized by the significant weakening of trade winds in tropical areas near the equator. A natural weather phenomenon that occurs every 3 or 4 years, El Nino is marked by extreme hot, dry weather in the affected regions--having significant consequences for weather around the world.
Electric and Magnetic Fields or EMFs: Invisible forces associated with the production, transmission and use of electricity--particularly fields coming from high-voltage transmission lines, power lines, home wiring and lighting.
Electro-pollution: High and low frequency electromagnetic emissions (EMF) produced by equipment such as computers, microwave ovens and high voltage cables present outdoors.
Electrostatic Charge: A physical property of matter which makes its experience force when near other forms of matter. The charge can either be positive or negative.
Electrostatic Precipitator: Also known as an electrostatic air cleaner, this device collects and removes contaminants from any flowing gas, including air, by using electrostatic charges.
Embodied Energy: Embodied energy refers to how much energy it takes to make a building material, the energy required to transport the material, and where the material goes at the end of its life.
Emission: Pollution discharged into the atmosphere from smokestacks, other vents, and surface areas of commercial or industrial facilities; from residential chimneys; and from motor vehicle, locomotive, or aircraft exhausts.
Emission Cap: A limit designed to prevent projected growth in emissions from existing and future stationary sources from eroding any mandated reductions.
Emission Factor of EF: The average release rate of a given pollutant for a given source, relative to units of production or activity.
Emissions Trading: The creation of surplus emission reductions at certain stacks, vents or similar emissions sources and the use of this surplus to meet or redefine pollution requirements applicable to other emissions sources.
End-of-the-pipe: Technologies such as scrubbers on smokestacks and catalytic converters on automobile tailpipes that reduce emissions of pollutants after they have formed.
Endangered Species: Plant and animal species threatened by extinction.
Endemic: Refers to features, species or qualities naturally found or prevalent in a given environment. An organism is called endemic to a specific habitat if it can only be found in that area and nowhere else in the world.
Endocrine Disruptors: Substances that disturb the body's endocrine or gland system resulting in developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune problems in humans and wildlife.
Endocrine Toxicant: Chemical substances that cause adverse effects on the endocrine system, which is comprised of the organs and glands that secrete hormones.
Endrin: An organochlorine once used to kill rodents and insects, but is now banned in many countries as it has been classified as a persistent organic pollutant.
Energy Accounting: The measurement and analysis of energy used by various industrial processes for the purpose of improving energy efficiency.
Energy Crops: Crops cultivated specifically for producing energy--particularly electricity or liquid fuels.
Energy Economics: An area of scientific study that deals with the supply and use of energy. Energy economics touches on a wide range of topics including environmental economics, industrial organization and resource economics.
Energy Efficient: A product, business or project is considered energy efficient if it uses the least amount of mechanical or electrical power and maximizes the use of natural or renewable power sources.
Energy Footprint: Energy data that maps the flow of energy supply, demand and losses in manufacturing industries.
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: Signed into law in 2007 and originally named the Clean Energy Act, this body of laws aims to move the US toward greater energy independence and security.
Energy Leak: The escape or breach of electrical power used for cooling, heating or lighting a building or home.
Energy Recovery: Obtaining energy from waste through a variety of processes (e.g. combustion).
Energy Star Program: The Energy Star Program aims to entice consumers and businesses to make energy efficient choices.
Energy-Saving Lights: Light sources that use the least amount of electricity and that can also be used for a longer period of time are considered energy saving lights.
Entomology: The branch of biology that deals with the study of insects, the most diverse group of organisms on Earth.
Environment: The conditions and influences of the place in which an organism lives.
Environment Agency: The United Kingdom's government agency in charge of environmental protection and safety and the promotion of sustainable development.
Environment Impact Assessment or EIA: A careful, science-based study of the possible impact a proposed project may have on an area, considering it's natural environment and the social and economic implications that may result.
Environmental Audit: An independent assessment made by an outside entity or an internal auditor, to ascertain if a particular company or organization is adhering to its own set of environmental compliance policies and practices.
Environmental Biosecurity: The protection of a specific environment and all it's natural living inhabitants from the negative effects associated with invasive species; including weeds, pests and diseases.
Environmental Chemistry: An interdisciplinary science that studies the processes of chemical species in air, soil and water environments and how human activities impact these processes.
Environmental Economics: The study of how economics is impacted by environmental concerns, particularly global warming, toxic substances, solid waste, water quality and air pollution.
Environmental Effect Analysis EEA: A qualitative method of study used as part of product development in ecodesign projects.
Environmental Engineering: The application of engineering sciences to improve environmental conditions and address environmental problems such as pollution.
Environmental Fate: One of the considerations in chemical safety, environmental fate is determined by what happens after a chemical is released in the environment--where its final destination is and its attendant effects.
Environmental Indicators: Data that are observed, recorded, developed and validated in order to track changes to the quality and condition of the planet's air, water, land and ecosystems--including their residents--on different geographic and time scales.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA is the official agency tasked by the United States government to develop and enforce regulations concerning the protection of the environment and natural resources.
Environmental Psychology: The study which focuses on how humans interact with their environments--both natural and man-made. One of the cornerstones of environmental psychology is to understand and solve environmental problems.
Environmental Statistics: Basic data on the state of the environment and the rate of human activities responsible fro environmental deterioration and improvement. Environmental statistics involves the examination of environmental indicators.
Environmental Stewardship: Environmental stewardship has a number of wide ranging objectives, which include: the protection of water and soil, the prevention of erosion and water pollution, flood management, wildlife conservation, protecting archaeological sites and historic features, providing public access to the countryside and conserving rare traditional livestock breeds and varieties.
Environmental Studies: Environmental studies cover aspects of biology, ecology and geography which relate to an understanding of the environment -- particularly its physical and human components.
Environmental Toxins: Substances in the air, water, soil and the environment in general which can damage long term health.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas or ESAs: ESAs are designated areas of ecological and landscape importance recognized as vulnerable to drainage and loss caused by agriculture processes.
Epidemic: The high prevalence of a disease in a given area or environment. An epidemic that occurs over a wide geographical area, encompassing at least a few countries is called a pandemic.
Epidemiology: The study of the distribution and causes of disease in a given area or population. The study of epidemiology developed in the 19th century, when the study of disease outbreaks had to be examined in relation to environmental and social conditions.
Equivalence Factor: A productivity-based scaling factor that converts a specific land type, such as forest or cropland, into a universal unit of biologically productive area, a global hectare.
Ergonomics: The study of work in relation to human engineering. Ergonomics deals with the design of work situations, the analysis and training of work skills, work stress, errors and accidents--as well as psychological and physical environments.
Erosion: The alteration of landforms through the removal and transfer of material such as soil or silt by water, wind, glacial movements, animal and human activity.
Estuary: Vital natural habitats for various plant and animal life, estuaries are places where freshwater rivers and streams flow into the ocean mixing with seawater.
Ethane: Ethane is often a component of natural gas that is tapped as a fossil fuel source.
Ethanol: An alcohol that is used in gasoline mixtures to produce a cleaner-burning fuel with higher octane.
Ethanol Diesel: A fuel blend combining ethanol and diesel providing a cleaner burning fuel alternative for off-road equipment, buses and trucks that typically run on diesel.
Ethical Consumerism: The philosophy and practice of buying products and using services that have little impact on the environment as well as having done no harm to other humans and animals.
Ethonomics: Short for ethical economics, ethonomics is a concept in business that uses technology, design and social responsibilty to build companies that are "good for the world as well as the bottomline."
Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether or ETBE: A fuel additive derived from ethanol that offers advantages in terms of lowering volatility and providing better-blending gasoline.
Evolution: The change in the varieties of genes in a certain population over time.
Exposure Assessment: Identifying the ways chemical releases may reach humans and estimating how much of a chemical an individual is likely to be exposed-to, as well as estimating the number of individuals likely to be exposed to the chemical threat.
Exposure Potential: An estimate of the total dose of a chemical received by an exposed organism or by a population, not just through a single medium but from all likely pathways. Aside from toxicity, pollutants and contaminants are graded for their exposure potential when making assessments for health and environmental risks.
Extinction: The disappearance of a species from a particular habitat (local extinction) or the complete elimination of a living species worldwide.
Extraction Rate: A processing factor comparing the quantity of a parent product to the quantity of the resulting daughter product.
The Earth Charter: The Earth Charter is a global declaration promoting sustainable living, respect for the ecology, economic justice, and a culture of peace and democracy.
The Earth Day Network: A global network of more than 20 thousand organizations that promote environmental protection and awareness.

Green Glossary – E

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