Going Green is a win – win,
it helps the environment we live in and the future generations that will
follow. Here are some Going Green
terms and jargon that may help you understand what everyone is talking
about!
Authentic: Guarantees that
food was grown and produced within 50 miles of its end retail point. The term “organic”
has been diluted in recent years primarily through the successful lobbying
efforts of major corporations. Recognizing that consumers were riding the
organic wave to new shores, corporate farmers and manufacturers succeeded in
watering down the term to include their products, much to the confusion of the
consumer.
Carbon Neutral: Any entity
or person who manages resources to eliminate carbon production. This can
include offsetting the emissions from activities in one location by green
restoration or enhancement of others.
Certified Organic: Means
that the producer has paid sufficient amounts of money and submitted their
materials to rigorous testing to meet increasingly limiting governmental
restrictions. Small producers almost certainly cannot afford the high cost of
certification, so sell their products under the less restrictive “authentic” or
“non-certified organic” label.
Fenestration: The energy
efficiency of windows. Considerations include square footage of windows in
relation to structural surfaces, thickness of glass, gas barrier and tinting.
GREEN: GrassRoots
Environmental Effectiveness Network: Nationwide group devoted to supporting
activists committed to protecting wildlife and the environment.
Green Business: Any
business that employs eco-friendly processes to reduce its carbon footprint.
Measures include alternative power sourcing, paper reduction, recycling, use of
recycled materials, incorporating water and power saving devices, and
processing and reusing gray water.
Green Collar: No, not Mr.
Green Jeans, but a rapidly growing workforce devoted to sustainable agriculture
and organic or authentic farming.
Green Pricing: For a
slightly higher cost or periodic up-charge consumers can choose to have their
power supplied by green power producers, such as wind, solar and water driven
energy suppliers.
Net Metering: Allows a
home’s utility energy meter to cycle in reverse when the home’s energy
consumption is less than the amount purchased by installed green energy
devices, such as solar or wind generators. In these cases the energy stream
flows in reverse and the home unit supplies additional energy to the utility’s
power grid.
Phantom Power: Trickle
power drawn by “sleeping” devices such as computers, ovens, telephones and
entertainment equipment.
Hopefully these terms have
helped you understand the Going Green movement a little better. These are just a handful of the most commonly
used terms.
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