The Better Planet Guide

Glossary: Glossary Items

activism

Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. This action is in support of, or opposition to, one side of a controversial argument. The word 'activism' is often synonymous with protest or dissent. It can take a wide range of forms, from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, to rallies and street marches, direct action, or even guerilla tactics. In contemporary use, "activism" tends to be a word associated with the actions and ideologies of those on the political left. However, activism can stem from any number of political orientations. An activist may be called a freedom fighter by some, and a terrorist by others, depending on which side of the political fence is making the observation. Activists are people who act as the conscience and voice of many individuals within a society. They address and challenge their nation on ethical and moral, human rights, animal rights, and environmental issues, to name a few.

anti-capitalism

Anti-capitalism is any and all opposition to capitalism. Since anti-capitalism covers a very wide collection of ideologies (some of which oppose each other more than they oppose capitalism, like anarchism and fascism), common objections to capitalism have been collected here, while specific objections are in the articles on specific ideologies. Many different and opposite ideologies fight against capitalism: * Socialism argues for extensive non-private control of the economy, which may or may not be associated with democratic control by the people over the state (if a nation-state exists in such a system). Philosophies calling themselves socialist may be libertarian, authoritarian, or anything in between. Socialism also argues for a high degree of economic equality and the eradication of poverty and unemployment. In common usage, the term socialism tends to be used specifically to denote Social democracy. * Marxism argues for collective ownership of the means of production, and the eventual abolition of the state, with an intermediate stage in which the state will be used to eliminate the vestiges of capitalism. Marxism is the foundation of several different ideologies, including communism and certain types of socialism. * Anarchism argues for total abolition of both the state and the capitalist economy, as well as all other forms of coercive hierarchy. To replace them, the proponents of anarchism argue for a society based on non-coercive voluntary co-operation in violence against capitalists. Anarchist subgroups involve some form of worker ownership and control of the means of production, though some variants of do not explicitly promote any singular vision, but rather advocate that organizations be created organically by all those involved. The different strands of anarchism are united by some core principles, such as voluntary association, mutual aid, anti-capitalism, non-hierarchical relationships, etc. * Fascism argues for a limited market economy, while emphasizing non-economic issues such as nationalism and obedience to authority as the solution to what the fascists see as the problems of capitalism. Fascist regimes generally seek to unite the upper class by force, under the stewardship of the state, and usually one leader, in a corporatist system. Class divisions are blurred by nationalist ideology and the incorporation of state-sanctioned groups of workers whose role is to represent the government to labour, and particularly to act as state informants. As such it as an ideology of deep anti-Communism. Some anti-capitalists may argue for a form of collectivism.

businessman

A businessman (sometimes businesswoman, female; or businessperson, gender neutral) is a generic term for a wide range of people engaged in profit-oriented enterprises, generally the management of a company. See also: capitalism

capitalism

In common usage it refers to an economic system in which all or most of the means of production are privately owned and operated (commonly for profit), and where investments, production, distribution, income, and prices are determined largely through the operation of a "free market" rather than by centralized state control (as in a command economy). Capitalism contrasts with socialism where the means of production are owned by the state or by the community in collective, contrasts with feudalism where land may be privately operated but is owned by the state and held in fee, and contrasts with fascism where statist control over the means of production is exercised while maintaining a facade of de jure private ownership. All modern Western economies contain some degree of capitalism. See also: businessman, neoliberalism, skeptics

carbon audit

A carbon audit regime is an effective means of accounting for greenhouse gas control efforts. It establishes that the claimed reductions in emissions, or carbon sequestration, has actually occurred and is stable. The UK is the only nation in the world that presently has such a regime.

climate change

The term climate change is used to refer to changes in the Earth's climate. In the most general sense, it can be taken to mean changes over all timescales and in all of the components of climate, including precipitation and clouds as well as temperature. Climate changes can be caused both by natural forces and by human activities. However in recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, it refers more specifically to changes being studied in the present, including an average rise in surface temperature, or global warming. See also: global warming

Contraction and Conversion

C&C - or Contraction and Convergence - exists to reconcile the international efforts to reduce the emissions driving climate change. C&C is a full-term calculus that embodies the objective of the UN Climate Convention and its principles of precaution and equity.

emissions

Human activity raises levels of greenhouse gases primarily by emitting carbon dioxide, but other gases, e.g. methane, make a notable contrbution. The concentrations of several greenhouse gases have increased over time due to human activities, such as: * burning of fossil fuels and deforestation leading to higher carbon dioxide concentrations, * cattle and paddy rice farming, land use and wetland changes, pipeline losses, and landfill emissions leading to higher methane concentrations, * the use of CFCs in refrigeration systems. The use of CFCs and other halons in fire suppression systems and various manufacturing processes. According to the global warming hypothesis, these emissions of greenhouse gases from industry and agriculture are partly or wholly to blame for recent global warming. See also: emissions trading

emissions trading

Emissions trading is an administrative approach used to reduce air pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing net emissions. In such a plan, a central authority (i.e air pollution control district, state agency, or Federal agency) sets limits or "caps" on each pollutant. Groups that intend to exceed the limits may buy emissions credits from entities which are able to stay below their designated limits. This transfer is normally referred to as a trade. In most emission trading systems a portion of the traded credits are required to be retired. By retiring some of the emissions the system achieves a net reduction from each trade. Most authorities agree that emissions trading is an effective strategy if properly designed and administered. Emissions trading is one of the solutions proposed by free-market environmentalism. The idea is that a central authority will grant an allowance to entities based upon a measure of their need or their previous pollution history. For example an allowance for greenhouse gas emissions to a country might be based upon total population of the country or based on existing emissions of the country. An industrial facility might be granted a license for its current actual emissions. If a given country or facility does not need all of its allowance, it may offer it for sale to another organization that has insufficient allowances for its emission production. See also: emissions

environmentalism

It is a social movement which seeks to influence the political process by lobbying, education and activism in order to protect natural resources. Some of the issues of concern for the environmental movement are pollution, species extinction, waste reduction and genetically engineered foods.

fair trade

The fair trade movement, also known as the trade justice movement, promotes the use of labour, environmental and social standards for the production of commodities, particularly those exported from the Third World and Second World to the First World. Standards may be voluntarily adhered to by importing firms, or enforced by governments through a combination of employment and commercial law. Proposed and practiced fair trade policies vary widely, ranging from the commonly adhered to prohibition of goods made using slave labour to minimum price support schemes such as those for coffee in the 1980s. Non-governmental organizations also play a role in promoting fair trade standards by serving as independant organizations to monitor compliance with fairtrade labelling requirements. Implicit (and often explicit) in these approaches is a criticism of free trade as being "unfair" for a variety of reasons, most generally that market prices do not properly reflect the true costs associated with producing the product due to externalities such as environmental and social costs. Fair trade arguments may support (or be treated as supporting) protectionism, but this is only true of some of the positions within the quite disparate fair trade movement.

fascism

Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. Similar political movements spread across Europe between World War One and World War Two and took several forms such as Nazism and Clerical fascism. Neofascism is generally used to describe post-WWII movements seen to have fascist attributes. Fascism was typified by attempts to impose state control over all aspects of life. Many scholars consider "fascism" to be part of, or in coalition with, extreme right politics, however the definitional debates and arguments by academics over the nature of fascism fill entire bookshelves. There are clearly elements of both left and right ideology in the development of Fascism. Modern colloquial usage of the word has extended the definition of the terms fascism and neofascism to refer to any totalitarian worldview regardless of its political ideology, although scholars frown on this. Sometimes the word "fascist" is used as a hyperbolic political epithet.

free market

A free market is an economic term for an idealized market system, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of "coercion" are inclusive of "theft"). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy where the market is relatively free, as in an economy overseen by a government that practices a laissez-faire, rather than either a mixed or statist economic policy. Within economics the more usual term is simply "the market", or "the market mechanism", to mean the allocation of production through supply and demand. Internationally, free markets are advocated by proponents of economic liberalism. In the United States, support for free market economic structures is a key tenet of U.S. conservatism and libertarianism. Some believe that the notion of a free market is inherently unachievable because they hold that governments create property rights and are fundamentally involved in markets through the enforcement of such rights. Others argue that the concept of property comes from natural law and therefore it is incorrect to see governments as creating markets.

free market environmentalism

Free market environmentalism is an ideology that argues the free market is the best tool to preserve the health and sustainability of the environment. This is in sharp contrast to the most common modern approach of looking to government intervention to help prevent excessive destruction of the environment.

frugality

People who practise frugality or voluntary simplicity act consciously to reduce their need for purchased services or goods and, by extension, their need to sell their time for money. Quite often, this means that people who practise this lifestyle must do many things for themselves, such as gardening and cooking, sewing, and constructing or maintaining a home (DIY). However, it is important to note that money is not the major reason to practise this lifestyle. Reducing consumer choice also reduces the stress and anxiety of decision making. People practise voluntary simplicity to improve their quality of life in one of many dimensions: psychological, financial, spiritual, interpersonal relationships, family, etc.

global warming

Global warming is a term used to describe an increase over time of the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans. Global warming theories attempt to account for the rise in average global temperatures since the late 19th century (0.6 ± 0.2°C) and assess the extent to which the effects are due to human causes. The most common global warming theories attribute temperature increases to increases in the greenhouse effect caused primarily by anthropogenic (human-generated) carbon dioxide (CO2) and to possible increases in solar activity. Climate models, driven by estimates of increasing CO2 and to a lesser extent by generally decreasing sulfate aerosols, predict that temperatures will increase (with a range of 1.4°C to 5.8°C for change between 1990 and 2100. Much of this uncertainty results from not knowing future CO2 emissions, but there is also uncertainty about the accuracy of climate models. Climate commitment studies predict that even if levels of greenhouse gases and solar activity were to remain constant, the global climate is committed to 0.5°C of warming over the next one hundred years due to the lag in warming caused by the oceans. Although the discussion of global warming often focuses on temperature, global warming or any climate change may cause changes in other things as well, including the sea level, precipitation, weather patterns, etc. These may affect human activity via floods, droughts, heat waves, declining agricultural yields, etc. See also: climate change

globalization

Globalization can mean: The formation of a global village — closer contact between different parts of the world, with increasing possibilities of personal exchange, mutual understanding and friendship between "world citizens", and creation of a global civilization. The World Bank defines globalization as the “Freedom and ability of individuals and firms to initiate voluntary economic transactions with residents of other countries”. Economic globalization — 'free trade' and increasing relations among members of an industry in different parts of the world (globalization of an industry), with a corresponding erosion of National Sovereignty in the economic sphere. The IMF defines globalization as “the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through increasing volume and variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services, freer international capital flows, and more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology” (IMF, World Economic Outlook, May, 1997). The negative effects of for-profit multinational corporations — the use of substantial and sophisticated legal and financial means to circumvent the bounds of local laws and standards, in order to leverage the labor and services of unequally-developed regions against each other. The spread of capitalism from developed to developing nations. "The concept of Globalisation refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole" - Roland Robertson It shares a number of characteristics with internationalization and is used interchangeably, although some prefer to use globalization to emphasize the erosion of the nation-state or national boundaries. Globalism, if the concept is reduced to its economic aspects, can be said to contrast with economic nationalism and protectionism. It is related to laissez-faire capitalism and neoliberalism.

green politics

Green politics is a body of political ideas informed by environmentalism aimed at developing a sustainable society. It is considered by its advocates to be an alternative to both left and right views and parties, although adherents to both views tend to view Greens as "on the other side". Certainly it is true that Green parties advocate measures that appear to conventional politicians different from those grouped into labour and capital by economic interests. Green politics is usually said to include the green anarchism, eco-anarchism, anti-nuclear and peace movements - although these often claim not to be aligned with any party. Some claim it also includes feminism, pacifism and the animal rights movements.

green tax

A green tax shift is a fiscal policy which lowers the taxes on income including wages and profit, and raises taxes on consumption, particularly the unsustainable consumption of non-renewable resources. Examples of taxes to be lowered by a green tax shift: * payroll and income taxes. Examples of taxes to be implemented or increased: * Carbon taxes on the use of fossil fuels; * Taxes on the extraction of mineral, energy, and forestry products; * Licence fees for fishing and hunting; * Specific taxes on technologies and products which are associated with substantial negative externalities; * Garbage disposal taxes; * Taxes on effluents, emissions and other hazardous wastes. Tax shifting may include balancing taxation levels to be revenue-neutral for government, industry or consumer groups. Taxes on consumption may take the feebate approach advocated by Amory Lovins in which additional fees on less sustainable products — such as sport utility vehicles — are pooled to fund rebates on more sustainable alternatives — such as hybrid electric vehicles. The object of a green tax shift is often to implement a "full cost accounting", using fiscal policy to internalize market distorting externalities, which leads to higher efficiency, and sustainable wealth creation. See also: sustainability

greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect, first discovered by Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier in 1824, is the process by which an atmosphere warms a planet. Mars, Venus and other celestial bodies with atmospheres (such as Titan) have greenhouse effects, but for simplicity the rest of this article will refer to the case of Earth. The term greenhouse effect may be used to refer to two different things in common parlance: the natural greenhouse effect, which refers to the greenhouse effect which occurs naturally on earth, and the enhanced (anthropogenic) greenhouse effect, which results from human activities (see also global warming).

hippy

Hippie or hippy is a term originally used to describe some of the rebellious youth of the 1960s and 1970s. Though not a cohesive cultural movement with manifestos and leaders, hippies expressed their desire for change with communal or nomadic lifestyles, by renouncing corporate nationalism and the Vietnam War, by embracing aspects of non-traditional religious cultures, and with criticism of Western middle class values. Criticism included the views that the goverment was paternalistic, corporate industry was greedy and domineering, traditional morals were askew, and war was inhumane. The structures and institutions they rejected came to be called the establishment. The term "hippie" is often used by more conservative or mainstream people with the pejorative connotation of participation in recreational drug use, at least to the extent of using marijuana, and choosing not to think or care much about work, responsibility, the larger society, or personal hygiene.

liberties

Liberty, or freedom, is a condition in which an individual has immunity from the arbitrary exercise of authority.

market

A market is a mechanism which allows people to trade, normally governed by the theory of supply and demand, so allocating resources through a price mechanism and bid and ask matching so that those willing to pay a price for something meet those willing to sell for it. In some fields of study, a market is assumed to be only this mechanism. However that is an extreme ideological position not shared even by most merchants: Both general and specialised markets, where only one commodity is traded, exist. Markets work by placing many interested sellers in one place, thus making them easier to find for prospective buyers. An economy which relies primarily on interactions between buyers and sellers to allocate resources is known as a market economy in contrast either to a command economy or to a non-market economy that is based, e.g., on gifts.

neoliberalism

The term neoliberalism was coined by Conservative Republicans to describe a political-economic philosophy that had major implications for government policies beginning in the 1970s – and increasingly prominent since 1980 – that de-emphasizes or rejects government intervention in the economy (that complements private initiative), focusing instead on achieving progress and even social justice by encouraging free-market methods and fewer restrictions on business operations and economic development. Supporters argue that by implementing business-friendly policies, a society can assure that its businesses grow, creating jobs and other economic benefits which improve the welfare of the entire economy. This is commonly referred to as 'trickle down economics' or 'Reaganomics.' Detractors tend to think that government intervention is necessary to create an equitable society. See also: capitalism

NGO

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization which is independent from the government. Although the definition can technically include for-profit corporations, the term is generally restricted to social and cultural groups, whose primary goal is not commercial. Some people consider the "NGO" label misleading, as it implies that anything that is "not government" is NGO. Since NGOs are usually non-profit organizations that gain at least a portion of their funding from private sources, many NGOs now prefer the term Private voluntary organization (PVO). NGOs exist for a variety of different purposes, usually to further the political and/or social goals of their members. Some example goals include improving the state of the natural environment, encouraging the observance of human rights, improving the welfare of the disadvantaged, or representing a corporate agenda. However, there are a huge number of such organizations and their goals cover a broad range of political and philosophical positions. This can also easily be applied to private/semi-private schools and athletic organizations.

nuclear power

Nuclear power currently involves converting the nuclear energy of fissable uranium into thermal energy by fission, from thermal to kinetic energy by means of a steam turbine and finally to electron energy by a generator. Nuclear reactors currently use nuclear power to provide about 17%% of the world's electricity and 7%% of global energy. Opponents of nuclear power, including many environmental groups, such as the Union of Concerned Scientists [1] (http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/nuclear_safety/index.cfm), argue against the use of nuclear power, often prefering renewable energy, because of the unsolved problem of storing radioactive waste, the potential for severe radioactive contamination by accident or sabotage, and the possibility that its use will lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Proponents of nuclear power, including some national governments, claim that these risks are small and can be lessened with new technology. They claim nuclear power is currently the most viable alternative to oil and gas after they increasingly becomes unavailable due to depletion or if its use is discouraged because of global warming, since nuclear power plants, once built, generate essentially no greenhouse gases. Energy research and development (R&D) for nuclear power has and continues to receive much larger state subsidies than R&D for renewable energy or fossil fuels. However, today most of this takes places in Japan and France: in most other nations renewable R&D get more money. In the U.S., public research money for nuclear fission declined from 2179 to 35 million dollars between 1980 to 2000 [38] (http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf68.htm). Renewables receive large direct production subsidies and tax breaks in many nations [39] (http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf68.htm). Fossil fuels receive large indirect subsidies since they do not have to pay for their pollution and in various other ways [40] (http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/report.cfm?publicationID=149).

peak oil

The Hubbert peak theory, also known as peak oil, is an influential theory concerning the long-term rate of conventional oil and other fossil fuels production and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline. The actual peak year will only be known after it has passed. Based on available production data, proponents have predicted the peak years to be 1989, 1995, 1995-2000, or, according to one influential group, 2007 for oil and somewhat later for natural gas. This may lead to either minor economic or major catastrophic consequences for the world since modern civilization is dependent on cheap and abundant fossil fuels, especially for transportation. The Hubbert peak theory, while controversial, is increasingly influencing policy makers both within the oil industry and government. It is widely considered that a world peak in cheap oil production would have a substantial adverse impact upon contemporary society. Economic growth and prosperity since the industrial revolution have, in large part, been due to the use of oil and other fossil fuels. Almost all agree that fossil fuels are finite and must be replaced with alternative energy sources in the future. However opinions differ as to when this will happen, how to replace fossil fuels with alternative energy sources, and how difficult it would be to implement such changes.

renewable energy

Renewable energy (sources) or RES capture their energy from existing flows of energy, from on-going natural processes, such as sunshine, wind, flowing water, biological processes, and geothermal heat flows. Neither fossil fuels nor nuclear power are considered to be renewable. Most renewable forms of energy, other than geothermal and tidal power, ultimately come from the Sun. Some forms are stored solar energy such as rainfall and wind power which are considered short-term solar-energy storage, whereas the energy in biomass is accumulated over a period of months, as in straw, or through many years as in wood. Capturing renewable energy by plants, animals and humans does not permanently deplete the resource. Fossil fuels, while theoretically renewable on a very long time-scale, are exploited at rates that may deplete these resources in the near future Renewable energy resources may be used directly, or used to create other more convenient forms of energy. Examples of direct use are solar ovens, geothermal heating, and water- and windmills. Examples of indirect use which require energy harvesting are electricity generation through wind turbines or photovoltaic cells, or production of fuels such as ethanol from biomass.

RSS

RDF Site Syndication. An XML based system for sharing content with other sites or applications.

sea level rise

Though tide gauges and satellite altimetry suggest an increase in sea level of 1.5-3 mm/yr, no studies have unambiguously shown any acceleration in the rate of this change during the last century (Douglas 1992, Mörner 2004, IPCC (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/425.htm)). Some have suggested that the climate changes seen to date would not be expected to generate accelerating sea level changes (Warrick et al., 1996). However, the IPCC concluded [10] (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/423.htm) that the current rate of sea level rise began circa 1840 and this has encouraged some to argue humans have changed the world environment. The IPCC predicts that by 2100, global warming will lead to a sea level rise of 110 to 880 mm (details below). Rejecting some IPCC assumptions, Mörner (2004) has argued that sea level rise will not exceed 200 mm, within a range of either +100±100 mm or +50±150 mm depending on assumptions. These sea level rises could lead to difficulties for shore-based communities: for example, many major cities such as London already need storm-surge defences, and would need more if sea level rose. TAR chapter 11 (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/408.htm). Future sea level rise, like the recent rise, is not expected to be globally uniform. Some regions show a sea level rise substantially more than the global average (in many cases of more than twice the average), and others a sea level fall [11] (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/432.htm). However, models disagree as to the likely pattern of sea level change [12] (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/fig11-13.htm). Based on the projected increases stated above, the IPCC TAR WG II report notes that current and future climate change would be expected to have a number of impacts, particularly on coastal systems [24] (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg2/292.htm). Such impacts may include the following: * Increased coastal erosion * Higher storm-surge flooding * Inhibition of primary production processes * More extensive coastal inundation * Changes in surface water quality and groundwater characteristics * Increased loss of property and coastal habitats * Increased flood risk and potential loss of life * Loss of tourism, recreation, and transportation functions * Loss of nonmonetary cultural resources and values * Impacts on agriculture and aquaculture through decline in soil and water quality

skeptics

Points made by opponents of the global warming theory There are many reasons given for opposition to the global warming theory: * IPCC draws firm conclusions unjustified by the science, especially given the acknowledged weakness of cloud physics in the climate models. For example, even those who accept that there is a warming trend point out that there is a big difference between correlation and causality. In other words, just because temperatures have generally been rising since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, that doesn't necessarily mean that the Industrial Revolution has caused the change in temperature (see post hoc, ergo propter hoc argument). On the other hand, the period since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution has indeed produced ever-growing "urban heat islands" (see below) that could be skewing temperature measurements that indicate the recent warming. * Using "consensus" as evidence is an appeal to the majority argument rather than scientific discussion (see consensus science). Ergo, because the issue has become so politicized, it is suspected that climatologists who disagree with the consensus as it is may be afraid to speak out for fear of losing their positions or funding. * Earth's climate has been both colder and warmer than today, and these changes are adequately explained by mechanisms that do not involve human greenhouse gas emissions. * There is no significant global warming relative to the expected natural trends. * Climate science can not make definitive predictions yet, since the computer models used to make these predictions are still evolving and do not yet take into account recently discovered feedback mechanisms. * Climate models will never be able to predict the future climate, until they can predict solar and volcanic activity. * Global warming studies have errors or have not been reproduced. * Since carbon dioxide levels have no significant impact on global temperatures, support for the Kyoto Protocol is entirely misguided. * Global temperatures are directly related to sunspot activity. Some opponents of global warming theory give more weight to data such as paleoclimatic studies, temperature measurements made from weather balloons, and satellites which they claim show less warming than surface land and sea records. Opponents tend to define themselves in terms of opposition to the IPCC position. They generally believe that climate science is not yet able to provide us with solid answers to all the major questions about the global climate. Opponents frequently characterise supporters arguments as alarmist and premature, so as to emphasise what they perceive as the lack of scientific evidence supporting global warming scenarios. Opponents also say that if global warning is real and man-made, no action need be taken now because: * Future scientific advances or engineering projects will remedy the problem before it becomes serious and for less money. * A small amount of global warming would be benign or even beneficial, as increased carbon dioxide would benefit plant life, thus potentially becoming profitable for agriculture world-wide. * There is a distinct correlation between GDP growth and greenhouse gas emissions. A cutback in emissions would lead to a decrease in the rate of GDP growth. more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy See also: capitalism

sustainability

Sustainability is an economic, social, and environmental concept. It is intended to be a means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society and its members are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideals indefinitely. Sustainability affects every level of organization, from the local neighborhood to the entire planet. It is sometimes a controversial topic. See also: green tax

transport

Transport is a major use of energy. Most transport burns hydrocarbons. If partially burned, these create pollution. Though vehicles have been getting cleaner because of environmental regulations, this has been offset by more vehicles and more use of each vehicle. Low-pollution fuels can reduce pollution. The most popular low-pollution fuel at this time is liquified natural gas. Hydrogen is an even lower-pollution fuel, but producing and storing it economically is currently not feasible. Other alternative renewable energy sources such as biodiesel are being researched heavily. Another tack is to make vehicles more efficient, which reduces pollution and waste by reducing the energy use. If electricity can be gotten to the vehicle, electric motors are the most efficient of all. Another method is to generate energy using fuel cells, which are two to five times as efficient as the heat engines traditionally used in vehicles. A trivial, but very effective method is to streamline ground vehicles, which spend up to 75%% of their energy on air-resistance. Another method is to recycle the energy normally lost to braking, but this leads to a more complex vehicle.

Wikipedia

Many of these definitions have been drawn from Wikipedia, the free-content encyclopedia that anyone can edit. You may find this resource useful for more information on any of these topics. Please note we do not necessarily agree with the contents of its articles.