SUSTAINABILITY

Ar. Aanchal Rawal

1. Carbon Neutral:A combination of efficiency improvements (resulting in reduced Carbon Dioxide emissions),
and purchases of carbon offsets that balance 100% of a carbon footprint. In general, there are
four common scenarios to prevent the global warming effect of CO2 in
the atmosphere gradually, namely:
increasing the efficiency so the fossil fuel consumption decreases,
mix of renewable fuels with fossil fuels so that fossil fuel consumption has also decreased,
substitution of fossil fuels with renewable fuels and
the absorption of CO2 in the atmosphere so that the concentration of greenhouse gases can
be reduced.

2. Climate Neutral:The concept of reducing or offsetting any Greenhouse gases produced by any entity
(individual, business, country, etc.) so as to create a neutral effect on Global warming for
that entity.

3. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC):The IPCC was established jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme & the
World Meteorological Organization in 1988. The purpose of IPCC is to assess information in
the scientific and technical literature related to all significant components of the issue of
climate change. The IPCC draws upon hundreds of the worlds expert scientists as authors and
thousands as expert reviewers. Leading experts on climate change and environmental, social,
and economic sciences from some 60 nations have helped the IPCC to prepare periodic
assessments of the scientific underpinnings for understanding global climate change and its
consequences. With its capacity for reporting on climate change, its consequences, and the
viability of adaptation and mitigation measures, the IPCC is also looked to as the official
advisory body to the worlds governments on the state of the science of the climate change
issue. For example, the IPCC organized the development of internationally accepted methods
for conducting national greenhouse gas emission inventories.

4. Corrective Action Plan:A documented methodology to reverse an previous activity that has been identified as
environmentally, socially or economically hazardous to the business, destination or
local community.

5. Sustainable Utilization:Use in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term degradation of the
environment, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of
present and future generations.

6. Emissions:The discharge of pollutants into the atmosphere from stationary sources such as smokestacks,
other vents, surface areas of commercial or industrial facilities and mobile sources, for
example, motor vehicles, locomotives and aircraft.
7. Emissions Audit:A listing, by source, of the amounts of pollutants actually or potentially discharged. Such an
inventory is used to establish and put forth emission standards.

8. Environmental Impact Study: Screening to determine which projects or developments require a full or partial impact
assessment study;
Scoping to identify which potential impacts are relevant to assess, and to derive terms of
reference for the impact assessment;
Impact assessment to predict and identify the likely environmental impacts of a proposed
project or development taking into account inter-related consequences of the project
proposal, and the socio-economic impacts;
Identifying mitigation measures (including not
proceeding with the development, finding
alternative designs or sites which avoid the
impacts, incorporating safeguards in the design
of the project, or providing compensation for
adverse impacts);
Deciding whether to approve the project or
not; and
Monitoring and evaluating the development
activities, predicted impacts and proposed
mitigation measures to ensure that unpredicted
impacts or failed mitigation measures are
identified and addressed in a timely fashion.

9. Social Impact Assessment:The process of analyzing, monitoring, and managing the intended and unintended social
consequences, both positive and negative, or planned interventions (policies, programs,
plans, projected) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions. Its
primary purpose is to bring about a more sustainable and equitable biophysical and human
environment.

10. Sustainability Management System:Management system (set of interrelated elements) to establish a sustainability policy and
sustainability objectives and to achieve those objectives.

11. Sustainable Construction:Construction that maximizes the use of renewable energy resources, and minimizes noise
pollution, erosion of the site and roads, destruction of vegetation by project vehicles, and
negative impacts on air, soil, and water.

12. Sustainable Design:A term now in common use in architecture and refers to design that reduces energy and
water consumption, uses environmentally innocuous materials, and is in harmony
(aesthetic, environmental, and cultural) with the surroundings.

13. Sustainable Landscaping:Sustainable Landscaping should include an

attractive environment that is in balance
with the local climate and requires minimal
resource inputs, such as fertilizer, pesticides
and water. Sustainable landscaping begins
with an appropriate design that includes
functional, cost efficient, visually pleasing,
environmentally friendly and maintainable
areas. It is Landscape Design that
emphasizes native tress, vines, shrubs, and
perennials which help to maintain the
biodiversity of the region.
14. Sustainable Tourism:Tourism envisaged as leading to
management of all resources in such a way
that economic, social and aesthetic needs
can be fulfilled with maintaining cultural
integrity, essential ecological processes,
biological diversity, and life support
systems.

15. Dematerialization:Reducing the total material that goes toward providing benefits to customers. This
may be accomplished through greater efficiency, the use of better or more
appropriate materials, or by creating a service that produces the same benefit as a
product.

16. Energy Recovery:Simply put, obtaining energy from waste. This is accomplished through a variety
of processes, and is also known as waste-to-energy. Traditionally, this meant
burning waste products, but now gasification and anaerobic digestion are also
playing a role. Also see waste-to-energy.

17. Ecological Footprint:A measure of human demand on the

Earth's ecosystems. The carbon
footprint is an element of the
ecological footprint.
18. Environmental Footprint:The environmental impact any
company or entity makes as it
performs any activity. A footprint is
determined by how well raw materials
or by-products are (or arent) absorbed
by the surrounding environment.

19. Waste Factor:The ratio between the quantity of prime resource compared to the quantity of output.

20. Biochemical Oxygen Demand & Chemical Oxygen Demand:Natural organic detritus and organic waste from waste water treatment plants, failing septic
systems, and agricultural and urban runoff, acts as a food source for water-borne bacteria.
Bacteria decompose these organic materials using dissolved oxygen, thus reducing the DO
present for fish. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure of the amount of oxygen
that bacteria will consume while decomposing organic matter under aerobic conditions.
Biochemical oxygen demand is determined by incubating a
sealed sample of water for five days and measuring the loss
of oxygen from the beginning to the end of the test. Samples
often must be diluted prior to incubation or the bacteria will
deplete all of the oxygen in the bottle before the test is
complete.
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) does not differentiate
between biologically available and inert organic matter, and
it is a measure of the total quantity of oxygen required to
oxidize all organic material into carbon dioxide and water.
COD values are always greater than BOD values, but COD
measurements can be made in a few hours while BOD
measurements take five days.

21. Source Reduction:It refers to any change in the

design, manufacture, purchase,
or use of materials or products
(including packaging) to reduce
their amount or toxicity before
they become municipal solid
waste. Source reduction also
refers to the reuse of products
or materials.
22. Ecological Deficit:The amount by which the Ecological Footprint of a population exceeds the
biological capacity of the space available to that population. The national
ecological deficit measures the amount by which the countrys footprint
(plus the countrys share of biodiversity responsibility) exceeds the
ecological capacity of that nation.

23. Environmental Responsibility:As outlined in Agenda 21 is: the

responsible and ethical management of
products and processes from the point
of view of health, safety and
environmental aspects. Towards this
end, business and industry should
increase self-regulation, guided by
appropriate codes, charters and
initiatives integrated into all elements
of business planning and decisionmaking, and fostering openness and
dialogue with employees and the
public.
24. Overshoot:The situation when human demand exceeds natures supply at the local, national
or global scale. According to William Catton, it is growth beyond an areas
carrying capacity, leading to crash.

25. Strategic Environmental

Assessment(SEA):It may be defined as a structured, proactive
process to strengthen the role of
environmental issues in strategic decision
making (Tonk and Verheem, 1998). SEA
aims to integrate environmental (biophysical,
social and economic) considerations into the
earliest stages of policy, plan and programme
development (Sadler, 1995). It is therefore a
process of integrating the concept of
sustainability into strategic decision-making.
26. Biodiesel:Biodiesel is a domestic, renewable fuel for
diesel engines derived from natural oils like
soybean oil. Biodiesel can be used in any
concentration with petroleum based diesel
fuel in existing diesel engines with little or no
modification. Biodiesel is not the same thing
as raw vegetable oil. It is produced by a
chemical process which removes the glycerin
from the oil.

27. Composting:The controlled biological decomposition of

organic material in the presence of air to form a
humus-like material. Controlled methods of
composting include mechanical mixing and
aerating, ventilating the materials by dropping
them through a vertical series of aerated chambers,
or placing the compost in piles out in the open air
and mixing it or turning it periodically.

28. Energy Star:Energy Star is a program that evaluates the energy efficiency of appliances, house fixtures
and other home utilities. Co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Star program seeks to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by identifying energy efficient appliances, helping Americans save money on
utility bills with more energy efficient homes.
Energy Star ratings can be applied to a variety of household appliances, fixtures, and
materials, including refrigerators, washers, dryers, lighting fixtures, computers, home
electronics, windows, and heating insulation. When replacing an appliance or fixture in your
home, look for the Energy Star label on products that are energy efficient and help protect the
environment. When building a new home, you can also hire certified contractors who agree to
actively build Energy Star-rated homes.