Green Glossary – U
- U.S. Green Building Council or USGBC
- A private, membership-based, non-profit organization of designers, architects and engineers who promote sustainable building practices in the US.
- Ultra Clean Coal or UCC
- Coal that has gone through a chemical process to remove unwanted minerals in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions when used in coal-fired power stations.
- Ultraviolet Rays
- Radiation from the sun that can be useful or potentially harmful.
- Unconfined Aquifer
- An aquifer containing water that is not under pressure; the water level in a well is the same as the water table outside the well.
- Underground Injection
- A method of land disposal in which liquid wastes are injected into known geological formations, generally at great depths, to prevent environmental contamination or human exposure.
- Underground Storage Tank (UST)
- A tank located at least partially underground and designed to hold gasoline or other petroleum products or chemicals.
- United Nations Conference on the Human Environment
- Also known as the Stockholm Conference, this is an international convention organized by the United Nations in Stockholm Sweden on June 1972. It was the UN's first major conference on environmental issues on a global scale.
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO
- An agency of the United Nations that advocates for dialogue and an exchange of knowledge and ideas between nations in aid of achieving "global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty."
- United Nations Environment Program or UNEP
- The United Nations body designated to coordinate all efforts in implementing policies and practices to safeguard the environment.
- Unreasonable Risk
- A concept applied under the Federal Insecticide and Fungicide Act (FIFRA) pertaining to any danger to man or the environment that may be brought about by the use of certain chemicals or substances.
- Unsaturated Zone
- The area above the water table where soil pores are not fully saturated, although some water may be present.
- Upcycling
- As opposed to downcycling, upcycling converts waste materials and unused products into new materials and products that are of higher quality.
- Upper Detection Limit
- The largest concentration that an instrument can reliably detect.
- Uranium
- A radioactive element that is naturally present in low concentrations in soil, rock and water.
- Urban Air Pollution
- Air pollution in densely populated urban areas arising form a variety of sources, although mainly coming from combustion processes.
- Urban Heat Island or UHI
- Refers to the tendency for urban areas to have warmer air temperatures than the surrounding rural landscape, due to the low albedo of streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and buildings.
- Urban Planning
- The science--and some say art--of managing and directing city growth. Urban planning involves many disciplines, from architecture and engineering to environmental studies.
- Urban Runoff
- Storm water from city streets and adjacent domestic or commercial properties that carries pollutants of various kinds into the sewer systems and receiving waters.
- Urban Sprawl
- Urban or suburban sprawl and development involves clearing natural habitats to make way for buildings, roads and other infrastructure.
- Urbanization
- The process in which growing human populations build and inhabit cities or suburbs. Historically, it has been closely connected with industrialization.
- USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program or SARE
- The SARE program grants funding and support to small farmers who practice environmentally-conscious agriculture methods. Established in 1988, the program aims to advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally-sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education program.
- Utility Load
- The total electricity demand for a utility district.
