unit 6 Flashcards
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
