Unit 6 Glossary

Climate change: Change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over periods of decades

Ecological footprint: A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It compares human demand with planet Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate.

Ecology: The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

Economy: The wealth and resources of a country or region, esp. in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services

Environment: The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates

Environmental justice: An equitable spatial distribution of burdens and benefits to groups such as racial minorities, residents of economically disadvantaged areas, or residents of developing nations

Incinerator: An apparatus for burning waste material, esp. industrial waste, at high temperatures until it is reduced to ash

Landfill: The disposal of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil

Lifestyle: The way in which a person or group lives

Luxury: The state of great comfort and extravagant living

Midden: A dunghill or refuse heap

Natural resources: Materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain

Necessity: The fact of being required or indispensable

Population: All the inhabitants of a particular town, area, or country

Recycling: Convert waste into reusable material.

Sustainability:  Of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged

Sustainable design: The philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability

Waste disposal: Proper disposition of a discarded or discharged material in accordance with local environmental guidelines or laws