MeetGreen® Glossary
APEX/ASTM
Environmentally Sustainable Event Standards
The
industry's first and only
comprehensive standards for environmentally sustainable meetings are
being created through a partnership of CIC's APEX initiative and ASTM
International. For more details go here.
Best Practices
Best
practices are
generally-accepted, informally-standardized
techniques, methods or processes that have proven themselves over time
to accomplish given tasks. Often based upon common sense, these
practices are commonly used where no specific formal methodology is in
place or the existing methodology does not sufficiently address the
issue. (This definition is from Wikipedia)
Biodegradable
Capable
of being broken down by
natural processes, such as bacterial action.
Bio-diesel
A
clean burning, alternative fuel
derived from animal fats or vegetable oil that can be used in diesel
burning engines. It does not contain petroleum products, but may be
blended with petroleum-based diesel.
BioPreferred
BioPreferred
focuses on use of "bio-based" materials. It is a USDA designation that
encourages purchase of products made with agricultural materials such
as soy, corn, sugar cane etc. BioPreferred content requirements range
from 7 percent to 95 percent bio-based materials depending on the
product sub-category. Purchasing BioPreferred items can help Agencies
support farmers and encourage manufacturers to use alternatives to
synthetic chemicals. http://www.biopreferred.gov/
Carbon
Dioxide (CO2)
A
heavy, colorless gas that does not
support combustion. Made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, it is
formed especially in animal respiration and in the decay or combustion
of animal and vegetable matter. It is absorbed by plants in
photosynthesis and is an atmospheric greenhouse gas.
Carbon
Footprint
A
measure of the impact human
activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green
house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.
Carbon
Offset
A
way of counteracting the carbon
emitted when the use of fossil fuel causes greenhouse gas
emissions.Offsets commonly involve investing in projects such as
renewable energy, tree planting and energy efficient projects.
Climate
Neutral
Products
or services that reduce and
offset the greenhouse gases generated at each stage of their life-cycle
on a cradle-to-cradle basis: the sourcing of their materials, their
manufacturing or production, their distribution, use, and ultimate
end-of-life disposition.
Compliant
Supplier
Supplier
that has met the
sustainability
requirments that your organizations expects from them based on your
organizations sustainability policy.
Compost
A
mixture of humus-rich, decomposed
vegetable matter, used as a fertilizer or soil enrichment.
Composting
Composting
is the result of a
complex feeding
pattern where aerobic microbes (bacteria and fungi that thrive on
oxygen) feed on organic waste and break it down into a nutritious soil
amendment. This can be done on a small scale in the home or on a larger
scale for business and whole cities.
CPG - Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
compliant
From
the US Federal Government’s Sustainable Purchasing
Requirements: Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines compliant (CPG): CPG
is an EPA designation focused on recycled content. The CPG recommend
post-consumer recycled (PCR) and total recovered (TR) content levels,
in a number of product categories. Recycled content levels range from 1
percent to 100 percent, depending on material type and product
sub-category, and both PCR and TR thresholds need to be met for a
product to be deemed "CPG compliant." Purchasing CPG compliant products
can help Agency's divert materials from landfills, and reduce the need
for using new resources.http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/cpg/
Corporate
Social Responsibility
A
form of corporate self-regulation
whereby a business monitors and ensures their adherence to law, ethical
standards, and international norms.
Ecological
Footprint
The
measure of area needed to supply
national populations with the resources and area needed to absorb their
wastes.
Ecology
The
system of relationships between
organisms and their environments.
Ecosystem
A
community of living organisms
interacting with themselves and with their environment.
Ecotourism
Tourism
that respects the culture,
natural history and environment of destinations and seeks to minimize
the negative impact of travel on the environment.
Energy
Star Equipment
A
voluntary labeling program of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S.Department of
Energy that identifies energy efficient products. Qualified products
exceed minimum federal standards for energy consumption by a certain
amount, or where no federal standards exist, have certain energy saving
features. Such products may display the EnergyStar label.
Energy/Water
Conservation
Practices
and strategies that are
designed to minimize the amount of energy and water used.
Environmentally
Responsible TransportationTransportation
options that minimize
environmental impact such as mass public transportation (light rail,
subway, electric/hybrid/biodiesel buses) and electric/hybrid vehicles.
EPEATEPEAT
is the
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. Electronics can be
designated EPEAT Bronze / Silver / Gold depending on the number and
type of environmentally preferable attributes associated with their
production, use, packaging or disposal. By seeking EPEAT items,
Agencies can purchase the most environmentally conscious electronics
available. http://www.epeat.net/
Equal
Pay
A
concept that states that
individuals doing the same work should receive the same remuneration
regardless of their sex, race, sexuality, nationality or anything else.
Example of practical application: inquire at facility about outstanding
union grievances.
Ethical
Sourcing
The
method of choosing products
which take into account a company’s responsibility for labor
and human rights practices within all stages of its supply chain.
Example of practical application: choosing fair trade coffee for your
meeting.
E-waste
Waste
materials generated from using
or discarding electronic devices, such as computers, televisions, and
mobile phones. E-waste tends to be highly toxic to humans, plants, and
animals, and has been known to contaminate water, air and dirt.
Fair
Labor Practices
Labor
practices by employers that do
not violate the rights of their workers. (For more details see the wikipedia
definition.)
Fair
Trade
Small
farmers are paid a fair market
price that enables them to improve their standard of living.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified
The
FSC is a non-governmental organization focused on developing principles
for responsible forestry. Purchasing FSC-certified wood and paper
products can help Agencies encourage the careful management of forest
resources.
Fossil
Fuel
An
organic, energy-rich substance
formed from the long-buried remains of prehistoric life.
Global
Warming
A
gradual, long-term increase in the
near surface temperature of the Earth. The terms is most often used to
refer to the warming predicted to occur as a result of increased
emissions of greenhouse gases.
Green
A
common expression meaning
environmentally responsible.
Green
Collar Job
A
job connected to eco-friendly
products and services.
Green
Meeting
According
to APEX, a green meeting
incorporates environmental considerations throughout all stages of the
meeting in order to minimize the negative impact on the environment.
GMIC - Green
Meeting Industry Council
The Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) was created and founded by Amy Spatrisano and Nancy Zavada of MeetGreen (then Meeting Strategies Worldwide) in Portland Oregon.
"The Green
Meeting Industry Council is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization. The Council is
a membership-based professional organization which provides educational
resources to planners, suppliers, and venues seeking to meet the ever-rising
standards consumers set for sustainable meetings."
Greenhouse
Effect
Heating
of the atmosphere that
results from the absorption of solar radiation by certain gases.
Greenhouse
Gas
A
gas which contributes to the
greenhouse effect by absorbing solar radiation.These gases include, but
are not limited to, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, and
chlorofluorocarbons.
Green
Seal Certified
An
organization, product or process
that has passed a specific environmentally responsible standard as
outlined by Green Seal.
Greenwash
To
falsely claim a product is
environmentally sound. Also known as faux green. Disinformation
disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally
public image.
HAP
Stands
for hazardous air pollutant.
Hazmat
An
abbreviation for hazardous
material. A hazardous material is any item or agent (biological,
chemical, physical) which has the potential to cause harm to humans,
animals, or the environment, either by itself or through interaction
with other factors.
Human
Rights
The
basic rights and freedoms to
which all humans are entitled regardless of race, nationality, or
membership of any particular social group. They specify the minimum
conditions for human dignity and a tolerable quality of life. Example
of practical application: ensure the promotional products you purchase
are sourced from a factory that has good working conditions, i.e.
choose ethically sourced products.
Hybrid
Vehicle
Vehicle
that uses a combination of
two engine types. Cars are most commonly gasoline-electric hybrids.
Kilowatt
Hour
1,000
watts of electricity used for
one hour.
LEED
Leadership
in Energy and
Environmental Design - A Green Building Rating System® is a
voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing
high-performance, sustainable buildings developed by the U.S. Green
Building Council.
Living
Wages
A
term used to describe the minimum
hourly wage necessary for a person to achieve a quality of life
generally higher than that indicated by the definition of poverty.
Example of practical application: inquire if the facility supports its
employees with a living wage. Resource: http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/
Occupancy
Sensor
A
monitoring device, commony
connected to a room's lighting but also occasionally to heating or
ventilation, that shuts down tehse services when the space is
unoccupied, thus saving energy.
Organic
Foods
Grown
without chemicals that can
harm the land, water or human health. Organic certification of food can
be through an independent organization or government program.
PDA
Personal
Digital Assistant.
Pesticide
Any
agent used to kill or control
insects, weeds, rodents, fungi or other organisms.
Post-Consumer
Material
An
end product that has completed
its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been
disposed of a solid waste.Post-consumer materials include recyclables
collected in commercial and residential recycling programs, such as
office paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastics and metals.
Post-Consumer
Waste
Post-consumer
waste is recycled
material collected after people have tossed it in the blue bin.Office
recycling programs and household recycling programs are the main source
of post-consumer waste.
Processed
Chlorine Free (PCF)
“Processed
chlorine
free” describes a bleaching process free of chlorine or
chlorine compounds, which poisons rivers. The most common PCF bleaching
agent is hydrogen peroxide (which breaks down into water and oxygen).
Using PCF paper eliminates most of the toxic byproducts of traditional
bleaching, such as dioxins and other organochlorides, and this means
cleaner rivers.
Recycled
Paper
According
to U.S. government
standards, uncoated paper with at least 30% post-consumer waste and
coated paper with at least 10% post-consumer waste can be called
“recycled” paper.
Recycling
The
collection of waste materials
and reprocessing them into new materials or products, which are then
sold again.
Renewable
Resources/Materials
Resources
that are created or
produced at least as fast as they are consumed, so that nothing is
depleted. Includes solar, hydro, wind power, biomass, and geothermal
energy sources.
Shade
Grown Coffee
Coffee
that is grown in the
traditional manner, with coffee plants interspersed under a canopy of
trees. End result: more habitats for birds, less need for chemical
inputs, and the forest is not disrupted.
Stakeholder
a
person, group, organization, or
system who affects or can be affected by an organization's actions. (This
definition is from Wikipedia)
Supply
Chain
A
supply chain is a system of
organizations,
people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in
moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain
activities transform natural resources, raw materials and components
into a finished product that is delivered to the end customer. (This
definition is from Wikipedia)
Sustainable
Food
Food
that is healthy for consumers
and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers,
respects animals, provides a fair wage for the farmer, and supports and
enhances rural communities.
Sustainability
Meeting
the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs (as defined by the Brundtland Commision, 1987).
Sustainability
Policy
Set of guidelines related
to policy, generally written, which
outline an organizations commitment and practices related to
sustainability.
Third
Party Verifications/Certifications
Depending
on the types of standards
that need to
be met for a product, service or sustainability claim. Companies may
hire an independent auditor to certify that it has met the standard;
this is called third party verification. For standards that have been
set as part of a law, there is often a legally mandated certification
process or a government-run monitoring program. For most standards,
however, it is up to the company to decide whether to get third party
verification, to have their customers formally check that they have met
the standard, or to "self-certify", in which case customers, investors
and the public just have the word of the company. (referenced
from the Ecologia website)
Trawling
Also
known as dredging, the process
of dragging huge, heavy nets over the sea floor, scooping up everything
in their path.
Triple
Bottom Line
A
business and development
philosophy incorporating the three E's: equity, environment, economics.
Also referred to as the three P's: people, planet, profit.
Vegan
Lifestyle
choice which excludes the
consumption and use of animal flesh and by-products.
Vegetarian
Dietary
choice which excludes the
consumption of animal flesh or by-products, but may include eggs and
dairy.
Vegetable-based
Inks
Environmentally
friendly printing
inks which are made from vegetable oils combined with pigments. The
most common type is made from soy.
Venue
Location
where an event takes place.
Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOC)
Compounds
that have a high vapor
pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human made chemicals
used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals and
refrigerants. VOCs typically are industrial solvents, such as
trichloroethylene; fuel oxygenates, such as methyl tert-butyl ether
(MTBE); or by-products produced by chlorination in water treatment,
such as chloroform.VOCs are often components of petroleum fuels,
hydraulic fluids, paint thinners and dry cleaning agents. VOCs are
common ground water contaminants.
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