ecobites.com

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

A

A Warming Environment

Melting ice is the most obvious effect global warming is having on the Earth. The ice sheets in Antarctica are getting smaller every year.
Melting ice causes rising sea levels, which could flood land and destroy homes in low-lying areas. changes in weather patterns can cause both heavy rains and severe drought.
lots of scientists believe extreme weather is a sign of climate change. Hurricanes, floods, wildfires and heatwaves seem to be getting fiercer and are happening more often as oceans and the atmosphere get warmer.
Burnig fossil fuels cause air pollution. Exhaust gases contain greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere, causing smog and acid rain. The course of earth's history has seen plant and animal species die out naturaly, but we are now losing species a lot faster than the natural rate.
Most of this is caused by hunting and habitat destruction, but climate change and the problems it causes make the situation much more serious.

ACRE FEET
The amount of water that will cover an acre to a depth of one foot.

ACID RAIN
Rain, snow, hail, sleet, and fog polluted by chemicals in the air.

ADOBE
Is heavy clay, rich in minerals, and makes good bricks for building.

ADAPTION
A physical characteristic or behaviour that allows an organism to adjust to the conditions of a particular environment.

AFFORESTATION
Planting of new forests on lands that historically have not contained forests.

AGRICULTURE
The science of producing healthy plants and animals for food and other uses.

AGRICULTURIST
An expert in agriculture, such as a farmer or rancher.

AIR MASS
A large quantity of air throughout which temperature and moisture content is fairly constant.

AIR PRESSURE
Pressure exerted by the weight of air over a given area of Earth's surface.

AIR POLLUTION
The existence in the air of substances in concentrations that are unacceptable. Contaminants in the air we breathe come mainly from manufacturing industries, electric power plants, automobiles, buses, and trucks.

ALGAE
Simple plantlike organisms found in water or on wet surfaces.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Energy derived from nontraditional sources (e.g., compressed natural gas, solar, hydroelectric, wind).

ANNUAL
A plant that only lives for one year or season.

AERATE To let air in

AMMONIFICATION The bad smell that comes from drains, compost bins, water features and boggy areas when they don't get enough air.

ANTHROPOGENIC
Made by people or resulting from human activities. Usually used in the context of emissions that are produced as a result of human activities.

ANTARTIC CIRCLE
The imaginary boundary of the southern polar region.

ARBOR DAY is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872, National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in April. Plant trees, Go on a tree walk, storytelling - children’s books that have trees as their subjects.

ARID
A climate in which almost no rain or snow falls.

ATMOSPHERE
The air surrounding the Earth, described as a series of shells or layers of different characteristics. The atmosphere, composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen with traces of carbon dioxide, water vapour, and other gases, acts as a buffer between Earth and the sun.

ATMOSPHERIC LIFETIME
The lifetime of a greenhouse gas.

ATOM
One of the tiny particles of which all things are made.

AVALANCHE WIND
A cloudlike mixture of snow particles and air pushed ahead of a slab avalanche as it races downward.

AVALANCHE PATH
he course an avalanche takes down a slope, composed of a starting zone, a track, and a run out zone.

B

BACTERIA Tiny living things, some of which make people feel unwell.

BAROMETER
Instrument used to measure air pressure.

BASE
A solution that has a pH greater than 7; capable of reducing the amount of acid in a substance.

BASALT
A type of rock that forms from hardened lava.

BENTHOS
Animals that live on the bottom of the ocean regardless of water depth. Most plants live in shallow water.

BIODYNAMIC FARMING
Organic farmers are also often "Biodynamic" - meaning they apply the science of Rudolph Steiner as developed over the last 80 years by the Biodynamic movement worldwide.

BREAK DOWN The way living things change into soil or compost after they die.

BIOMASS
The amount of living matter in the biosphere.

BIODIESEL
Biodiesel is a vegetable oil-based fuel that runs in diesel engines - cars, buses, trucks, construction equipment, boats, generators, and oil home heating units.

BIOFUEL
Fuel produced from renewable resources, especially plant biomass, vegetable oils, and treated municipal and industrial wastes. Biofuels are considered neutral with respect to the emission of carbon dioxide because the carbon dioxide given off by burning them is balanced by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants that are grown to produce them.

BIODEGRADABLE
Able to be broken down into non-harmful substances by the action of living organisms, especially bacteria.

BIOME
An ecosystem that covers a large geographic area where plants of one type live due to the specific climate in the area.

BIOSPHERE
The living part of the planet consisting of a thin layer that extends from just above to just below the earth's surface. The combined ecosystems of the earth.

BLACK CARBON
Measurement of light absorption and chemical reactivity and/or thermal stability; consists of soot, charcoal, and/or possible light-absorbing refractory organic matter.

BLIZZARD
The most severe type of winter storm, characterized by winds of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour or greater, large quantities of falling or blowing snow, and low temperatures.

BLOCKING SYSTEM
A whirling air mass containing either a high-pressure system or a low-pressure system, that gets cut off from the main flow of upper-air westerlies.

BULB A part of a plant that is shaped like a light bulb when you plant it and then it grows into a flower (eg Daffodils, Tulips).
 
BUSH HOUSE
A lath or wire frame covered in creepers in which shade-loving plants are kept.

C
CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)
A gas found in air that is used in photosynthesis and produced by respiration; one of the green house gases. Is a colourless gas that is given off by all living creatures, and when fossil fuels (such as coal, oil or gas) are burnt. Carbon Dioxide is re-absorbed by plants as the essential building block in the creating of solid plant matter - and this cycle of emission and re-absorption is called known as the carbon cycle. Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat from the sun and a certain level is needed to order to keep the surface temperature habitable. However as more Carbon Dioxide is released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, the earth's temperature is beginning to rise. This effect is known as Global Warming or Global Climate Change, as the resultant change in temperature can vary widely in different parts of the globe.

CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT
A metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential.

CARBON FOOTPRINT
A Carbon Footprint measures that amount of carbon dioxide that is left behind as a result of your activities.Typically your carbon footprint will be expressed as an equivalent amount of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted as a result of the energy you have used in a year. Carbon footprints are not just calculated for individuals. It is possible to create a carbon footprint for a household, for a company, or even for an entire country.

CARBON EMISSION The carbon dioxide (CO2) gas that is released into the atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels.

CARBON AUDIT An assessment and review of the number of tonnes of greenhouse gas businesses emit in a single year. Individuals can also measure their own carbon emissions via online calculators.

CARBON CREDIT A certificate that guarantees the removal of one tonne of carbon dioxide from the earth's atmosphere, or the saving of the same amount of CO2, on behalf of the credit holder.

CARBON POOL A collection of carbon-capturing resources, such as trees, which can be managed to maintain a stable rate of carbon reduction.

CARBON TRADING The buying and selling of carbon credits.

CANOPY LAYER
A forest's second layer, or roof. Consists of a network of branches and leaves, forms a covering that blocks some of the sunlight from lower plants.

CARNIVORES
Animals that eat other animals.

CELLULOSE
Plant fiber

CFCs
Chlorofluorocarbon gases that are released into the atmosphere as air pollutants and that change ozone to oxygen in the ozone layer.

CHLOROPHYLL
A green light-absorbing pigment used in photosynthesis.

CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS
Greenhouse gases covered under the 1987 Montreal Protocol and used for refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, insulation, solvents, or aerosol propellants.

CLIMATE
A area's weather over an extended period of time.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer).

CLIMATE SYSTEM (or Earth System)
The five physical components (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere) that are responsible for the climate and its variations.

CLOUD
Visible water vapour suspended in the air.

CLOUDBURST
The heaviest type of rain, in which rain falls at a rate of 4 inches (10 centimeters) or more per hour.

CIRRUS
Thin, wispy clouds, which form at the upper layer of the atmosphere and are composed mostly of ice crystals.

COASTAL FLOOD
A flood that occurs along the coasts of a lake or ocean.

COLD DESERT
A desert with daytime temperatures below freezing for part of the year.

COLD FRONT
The line behind which a cold air mass is advancing, and in front of which a warm air mass is retreating.

COMET
A body in space that has a tail and follows an orbit around the sun.

COMMENSALISM
A relationship in which a guest organism lives on or in a host organism. The guest organism benefits from the relationship, but the host is neither helped nor harmed.

COMMUNITY
A group of different populations.

CONDENSATION
The process by which a gas, such as water vapor, changes to a liquid when cooled; also the water that results from this process.

CONDENSE
To change from a gas to a liquid as a result of being cooled.

CONIFERIOUS FOREST
A forest containing coniferous plants and existing where winters are very cold, summers are brief, and rainfall is low, such as in the northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia, and in the world's mountain regions. Also called a boreal forest, northern coniferous forest, or taiga.

CONIFERIOUS PLANT
A plant, usually an evergreen, whose seeds are produced in cones and that typically has needles instead of leaves.

COCOON The silky cover that a caterpillar spins around itself before it turns into a butterfly or moth.

CONSERVE
To protect from waste or destruction.

CONSUMERS
Organisms (specifically, animals) that are not able to produce their own food and must eat other organisms.

CONTOUR FARMING
The practice of planting crops across a hill rather than up and down the hill to prevent soil erosion by water.

CORAL
Live coral is made of polyps. Dead coral is a hard, stony substance made up of the skeletons of polyps.

CORE
The innermost part of the earth, center.

CRATER
The bowl-shaped area around the opening at the top of a volcano.

CREST
The highest point of a wave.

CRUST
The outermost layer of Earth, varying in thickness from 3.5 miles (5 kilometers) to 50 miles (80 kilometers).

CUMULUS
Puffy clouds, which mark unstable air and can be found at any level in the atmosphere.

CUMULONIMBUS
Rain clouds, which can result in brief or less extended rainfall and thunderstorms.

CYCLONE
The name for a hurricane that forms over the Indian Ocean.

CLIMATE
The ordinary pattern of weather in a region of the world.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Change (also sometime known as "Global Warming") is used to describe changes to the earth's climate - including air temperature, rainfall, storms and secondary effects such as ice cover and sea levels. Although there is always some degree of natural climate change, mankind is currently facing a very rapid shift in climate, due mainly to the emission of greenhouse gases, especially Carbon Dioxide (CO2) through the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil.

COMPOST HEAP
A pile of food scraps and yard waste that is gradually broken down by worms and tiny insects. The result looks like plain dirt. It can be used to enrich the soil.

COVER CROPS
Crops planted before the main one to protect the soil and add nutrients when they are ploughed in.

CONSERVATION
The preservation and wise use of water, forests, and other natural resources so they will not be damaged or wasted. So they can be enjoyed and used by everyone in the future.

CUTTING A part of a plant (eg root, stem or leaf) that is cut off to grow a new plant.

D
DAM
A barrier built across a river or stream that blocks and controls the flow of water.

DAMPING OFF
The name used to describe a fungus formed when seedlings are subject to excess water through lack of ventilation. This usually is fatal.

DECIDUOUS FOREST
A forest containing deciduous plants and existing where temperatures are mild and rainfall is abundant.

DECIDUOUS PLANT
A plant that sheds all or nearly all its leaves each year.

DIBBLE STICK A tool (often an old pencil) used when planting seeds, to make a hole that is deep enough.

DECOMPOSE
To rot or decay as a result of being broken down by microorganisms

DECOMPOSERS
Organisms such as bacteria and fungi that decompose dead plants and animals.

DEFORESTATION
The cutting down of most of the trees from forested land, usually so that the land can be used for farming and housing.

DESERT
A land area that receives less than 10 inches (25 cm) of precipitation a year, that loses more water through evaporation than it gains from precipitation, and that has high summer temperatures.

DEWPOINT
The temperature at which gaseous water condenses into visible water vapor, fog or clouds.

DIAMETER
The distance from one end to another through the center.

DILUTE
To lessen the strength of a material by mixing it with another material, usually water.

DIRTY FALLOUT
Air pollutants dropped by prevailing winds.

DISCING
Breaking the soil with a disc cutter in preparation for crop sewing.

DISPERSE
To spread to another location.

DISTANCE
The measurement from one point to another.

DORMANT
Inactive.

DRIP IRRIGATION
The practice of spraying water directly on the base of plants so that less water is needed to help them grow.

DROUGHT
An extended period of unusually low rainfall.

DRY DEPOSITS
Air pollutants that quickly fall to the ground without combining with moisture.

E
EARTH
The planet where we live and respect by 'living green'.

EARTH DAY
The United Nations celebrates Earth Day, which was founded by John McConnell in 1969, each year on the March equinox, while a global observance originated by Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, and since January 1970 also called Earth Day, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22, including the United States. 

EARTH WEEK
Around April 22. Week of Earth Awareness and activities. Get involved for Earth Week and beyond - Bike riding, gardening, composting, recycling, etc.... It is the annual call to action to preserve the natural environment.

EARTH HOUR
Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

EARTH FLOW
A landslide that consists of material that is moist and full of clay, yet drier than the material in mudflows.

EARTHQUAKE
A sudden shifting of masses of rock beneath Earth's surface, which releases enormous amounts of energy and sends out shock waves that cause the ground to shake.

Earth 911
Same as Earth SOS. The urgency to start taking care of our world for future generations.

ECOSPHERE
A specific region where living organisms are found.

ECOSYSTEM
The inter - relationship of living organisms in a specific region.

ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY
The interaction of living organisms with their environment.

ECOLOGIST
A scientist who studies organisms and their environment.

ECOLOGY
The study of living things in their environment.

ECOTONE
The area where two or more ecosystems merge.

ELEVATION
The height above sea level.

EMERGENT LAYER
A forest's upper layer, produced by the tallest trees.

EMISSIONS
The release of a substance (usually a gas when referring to the subject of climate change) into the atmosphere.

ENDANGERED
In immediate danger of becoming extinct.

ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT
The concept that the natural greenhouse effect has been effected by emissions of greenhouse gases.

ENVIRONMENT
The variety of plants, animals, and conditions (such as climate, soil, weather) that affects the growth of living things in an area.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The result of our negative and positive actions on the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Environmental sustainability refers to the environmental actions or impacts of what we do. In moving towards sustainability, we are attempting to reduce our ecological footprint or to tread more lightly on the Earth. This equates to reducing the amount of resources we use (and buy), the waste we produce and the emissions we produce.

EPHEMERAL
An organism that has a short life cycle.

EPICENTER
The point on Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake, where seismic waves first appear.

EPIPHYTE
A plant that grows on another plant in a relation ship of commensalism.

EQUATOR
The imaginary boundary that divides the earth in half north and south.

EROSION
The removal of soil by water or wind. This is especially harmful when the top layer of soil, called the topsoil, is stripped away, because this is the layer where plants grow.

ERUPTION
The release of pressure that sends lava, rocks, ash, and gases out of a volcano.

ESTIVATE
To spend the summer in a sleeplike condition of partial or total inactivity.

EVAPORATE
To change from a liquid to a gas as a result of being heated.

EVERGREEN
A plant whose needles or leaves remain green throughout the year.

EXTINCTION
Disappearance of a type (species) of plant or animal from Earth. Some species become extinct because of non-human forces, but many others are becoming endangered or threatened with extinction because of the activities of people.

EXTINCT VOLCANO
A volcano that is never expected to erupt again.

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
Scientists are worried by the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes, flooding, drought, as well as the loss of drinking water sources, reduction in productive farm land and increasing geographical spread of infectious diseases such as malaria.

F
FAUNA
All the animals in a particular area.

FERTILIZE
To join male sperm with a female egg.

FIRESTORM
Also called a blowup, it is the most explosive and violent type of wildfire.

FIRST-ORDER CONSUMERS
Animals that eat plants.

FISSURE
A crack in Earth's surface through which volcanic materials can escape.

FLASH FLOOD
A sudden, intense, localized flooding caused by persistent, heavy rainfall or the failure of a levee or dam.

FLOOD
The overflow of water onto normally dry land.

FLOODPLANE
Nearly flat land adjacent to a river that is naturally subject to periodic flooding.

FLOOR LAYER
A forest's sixth and bottom layer, made up of lichens and mosses growing in the remains of fallen trees, branches, and leaves.

FLORA
All the plants in a particular area.

FLUROCARBONS
Carbon-fluorine compounds that often contain other elements such as hydrogen, chlorine, or bromine. Common fluorocarbons include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

FLUID
Matter in a gas or liquid state.

FOOD CHAIN
The way each living creature depends on another living thing as a source of food. Humans eat animals. Bigger animals eat smaller animals. Smaller animals eat even smaller ones. And so on, down to the tiniest living creatures.

FOOD WEB
All of the interlinked food chains in a community or an ecosystem.

FOREST
A biome whose main vegetation consists of large groups of trees that usually grow close enough together that their tops touch, shading the ground.

FOSSILS
Traces of the remains of prehistoric animals and plants.

FOSSIL FUEL
A source of energy (such as oil, gas, and coal) formed deep in the Earth from once-living matter.

FUMAROLE
A vent in Earth's surface that releases steam and other gases, but generally no lava.

FUNNEL CLOUD
Cone-shaped spinning column of air that hangs well below the base of a thunderstorm cloud.

G GARBAGE Items that are discarded also "waste". Garbage often refers to food discarded and other items to "trash" or waste".

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Heat energy from within the earth.

GEOLOGIST
A scientist who studies the origin, history, and structure of Earth.

GEOSPHERE
The soils, sediments, and rock layers of the Earth's crust, both continental and beneath the ocean floors.

GERMINATION
A seed has germinated when the young stem and leaves appear at the surface.

GLACIER
Slowly flowing masses of ice created by years of snowfall and cold temperatures.

GLOBAL
Worldwide

GLOBAL WARMING
An increase in Earth's surface temperature due to a buildup of certain gases in the atmosphere.The terms "climate change" and "global warming" are often used to mean the same thing. Global warming emphasises the rise in average temperatures

GRAFTING
Propagating hybrid plants by fixing a branch or part of one plant to a differnt plant either to improve the quality of fruit, strengthen the plants or adapt them to a new environment.

GRASSLAND
A biome whose main vegetation is grass or grass-like plants.

GREY WATER
The generally accepted definition of greywater when considered in the context of domestic water treatment is water from the bathroom (hand basin, shower and bath) and laundry - it excludes water from the kitchen and from toilets. Any water that has been used in the home, except water from toilets, is called grey water. Dish, shower, sink, and laundry water comprise 50-80% of residential "waste" water. This may be reused for other purposes, especially landscape irrigation.

GREEN LIFESTYLE Help the environment by growing organic food, reducing waste, conserving energy, recycling, saving water, and protecting our natural resources.

GREENHOUSE
A structure, usually made of glass or clear plastic, that provides a protected, controlled environment for raising plants indoors.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Warming of Earth caused by certain gases (called greenhouse gases) that form a blanket in the atmosphere high over Earth. Small amounts of these gases keep Earth warm so we can live here, but the larger amounts produced by factories, cars, and burning trees may hold too much heat and cause global warming.

GREENHOUSE GASES
Atmospheric gases, mostly carbon dioxide and water vapor, that trap the warmth from the sun, just as glass traps warmth in a greenhouse.

GREENWASHING
Greenwashing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.

GROUND BLIZZARD
The drifting and blowing of snow that occurs after a snowfall has ended.

GROUND FIRE
A fire that burns beneath layer of dead plant material on the forest floor.

GROUNDWATER
Water in the ground that flows in the spaces between soil particles and rocks. Groundwater supplies water for wells and springs.

GUEST
Organism living on or in a host; a parasite.

H
HABITAT
The natural home of an animal or a plant.

HALOCARBONS
Compounds containing either chlorine, bromine or fluorine and carbon.

HARARDOUS MATERIALS
Solid or liquid materials involving or exposing one to risk (as of loss or harm).

HARVEST TIME The time when fruits or vegetables are ripe enough to pick.

HEAT WAVE
An extended period of high heat and humidity.

HEAVY SNOW
Snowfall that reduces visibility to 0.31 mile (0.5 kilometer) and yields, on average, 4 inches (10 centimeters) or more in a twelve-hour period or 6 inches (15 centimeters) or more in a twenty-four-hour period.

HEMISPHERE
Half of the Earth, usually conceived as resulting from the division of the globe into two equal parts, north and south or east and west.

(HEP) Hydro, Hydropower or Hydroelectric Power
Energy in moving water can be harnessed and used to generate electricity. Since water is about a thousand times denser than air, even a slow flowing stream of water, or moderate sea swell, can yield considerable amounts of energy. There are many ways energy can be harnessed from of water including tidal power, waver power and hydro. Hydroelectric power is a term often reserved for large-scale hydroelectric dams, which can have a mixed effect on the environment if not well located; small-scale hydropower can include the conversion of old mill streams to generate electricity.

HERBIVORES
Animals that eat only plants.

HERB LAYER
A forest's fifth layer, found close to the ground and containing plants such as flowers, grasses, ferns, seedling trees, and shrubs.

HIBERNATE To spend the winter in a sleeplike condition of partial or total inactivity.

HOST
An organism on or in which a parasite lives and whose support of the parasite often leads to its own injury.

HOT DESERT
A desert with hot daytime temperatures for most of the year.

HOT SPOT
An area beneath Earth's crust where magma currents rise.

HURRICANE
A storm made up of a series of tightly coiled bands of thunderstorm clouds, with a well-defined pattern of rotating winds and maximum sustained winds greater than 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour.

HUMUS
The most advanced state of decomposition of compost.

HYBRID VEHICLES
Vehicles that run on more than one source of power, such as gasoline and electricity.

HYDROCARBONS
Substances containing only hydrogen and carbon. Fossil fuels are made up of hydrocarbons.

HYDROSPHERE
The totality of water encompassing the Earth, comprising all the bodies of water, ice, and water vapor in the atmosphere.
 
HYDROPONICS
Growing plants without soil using solutions and water as the only nutrients. Typical of hydroponic 'garden' beds are gravel and sand.

I
ICE CORE
A cylindrical section of ice removed from a glacier or an ice sheet in order to study climate patterns of the past.

IGNEOUS ROCK
Rock made of solidified molten material that made its way from the interior of the planet to the surface.

INFRARED RADIATION (IR)
Infrared is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength spans the region from about 0.7 to 1000 micrometers (longer than visible radiation, shorter than microwave radiation). Remote sensing instruments work by sensing radiation that is naturally emitted or reflected by the Earth's surface or from the atmosphere, or by sensing signals transmitted from a satellite and reflected back to it. In the visible and near-infrared regions, surface chemical composition, vegetation cover, and biological properties of surface matter can be measured.

INSOLATION
The amount of solar energy that reaches the earth.

INSULATOR
A material that does not easily gain or lose energy.

INTENSITY
Description of the physical damage caused by an earthquake.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC)
The IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environmental Programme.

INSULATION
The goal of insulation used in building construction is to slow down heat transfer. The same materials are required to keep buildings cooler in hot climates, or warmer in cold climates. As more insulation is installed, more comfort (thermal and soundproofing) is created, and operating costs are lowered. Insulation is most often used in the loft and in the cavities of walls, but it can also be installed under floors or attached to the inside or exterior of walls where there are no cavities to fill.

IRRIGATION Bringing water to plants by using pipes or soaker hoses connected to a tap.

ISOHYET
A line on a map connecting places of equal rainfall.

J
JET STREAM
The world's fastest upper-air winds. Jet streams travel in a west-to-east direction, at speeds of 80 to 190 miles (130 to 300 kilometers) per hour, around 30,000 feet (9,150 meters) above the ground. Jet streams occur where the largest differences in air temperature and air pressure exist.

JUNCTION Where a leaf or a stem joins another part of a plant.

K
KELP
Underwater forests of tall, brown algae that grow in cool coastal waters.

KHAMSIN
A hot, dry, southerly wind that originates on the Sahara and produces large sand and dust storms.(pronounced kahm-SENE)

KYOTO PROTOCOL
Sponsored by the United Nations, the Kyoto Protocol is an agreement between countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It was established in Japan in 1997 but didn't become international law until 2004.

L

LAHAR
A mudflow composed of volcanic ash and water that occurs in the wake of a volcanic eruption.(pronounced LAH-hahr)

LANDFILL
Land waste disposal site - A very lage hole where non-recyclable garbage is dumped at a rubbish / waste tip.

LANDSLIDE
The movement of large amounts of soil, rocks, mud, and other debris downward and outward along a slope.

LAVA
Molten rock that erupts from a fissure or a vent.

LAVA DOMES
Volcanic landmasses with bizarre shapes, made of hardened, thick, pasty layers of lava.

LAVA TUBE
A hollow tube formed when the outer layer of lava is cooled by the air and hardens; molten lava may continue running through the tube.

LARVA This is what some insects are when they first leave their egg (eg caterpillar and grubs).

LEACHATE
A mixture of rainwater and other liquids that comes from garbage.

LEACHING
The inevitable carrying off of plant food elements from the soil by rain or over-watering.

LEGUME
A plant which 'fixes' nitrogen in the soil.

LICHEN
A combination of two organisms, fungus and green algae, that live in a relationship of mutualism.

LIGHTENING
A discharge of atmospheric electricity accompanied by a vivid flash of light. During thunderstorms, static electricity builds up within the clouds. A positive charge builds in the upper part of the cloud, while a large negative charge builds in the lower portion. When the difference between the positive and negative charges becomes great, the electrical charge jumps from one area to another, creating a lightning bolt.

LITHOSPHERE
The component of the Earth's surface comprising the rock, soil, and sediments. It is a relatively passive component of the climate system, and its physical characteristics are treated as fixed elements in the determination of climate.

LIQUID
Flowing freely like water.

LIVE EARTH
Concert for the earth held in major cities worldwide.

LOAM
A mixture of clay, sand and silt.

LOOSE-SNOW AVALANCHE Avalanche composed of loosely packed snow that begins at a single point and slides down a slope, fanning out in the shape of an inverted "V." 
M
MAGMA
Molten, or melted, rock within the earth.

MAGNITUDE
The power of an earthquake.

MANTLE
The part of the earth between the crust and the core.

MARINE LIFE
Plants and animals of the ocean.

METEOROLOGY
Study of the atmosphere and its phenomena.

METEORITE
A chunk of rock and or metal that has broken off a larger space object, such as an asteroid or a comet, and falls to Earth's surface.

METEOROID
The term that collectively describes all forms of meteoric material, including meteors and meteorites.

METEOROLOGIST
A scientist who studies weather and climate.

METHANE(CH4)
A hydrocarbon that is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential most recently estimated at 23 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2).

MICRO ORGANISMS
Living organisms so small they can only be seen through a microscope.

MIDNIGHT ZONE
The area of the ocean beneath the twilight zone, extending from 3,000 feet (1,000 m) down to the ocean floor, where only about 1 percent of marine life can survive.

MIGRATE
To move from one place to another.

MITIGATION
Mitigation refers to activities, which try to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.

MOLECULE
The smallest part of a substance that has all the characteristics of the substance.

MONSOON
Seasonal wind that blows from land to sea during the winter and from sea to land during the summer; also, more commonly, a seasonal period of heavy rainfall.

MONSOON CLIMATE
A climate that is warm year-round with very rainy (flood-prone) summers and relatively dry winters. It encompasses much of southern and southeastern Asia, the Philippines, coastal regions of northern South America, and slices of central Africa.

MOUNTAIN
A biome of high ground with various types of vegetation depending on the elevation.

MUDFLOW
A landslide consisting of soil mixed with water. It is wetter than the material in an earthflow.

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MSW)
Residential solid waste and some non-hazardous commercial, institutional, and industrial wastes. This material is generally sent to municipal landfills for disposal.
N

NATURAL GAS Underground deposits of gases consisting of 50 to 90 percent methane (CH4) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10).

NATURAL RESOURCES
Things from nature.

NEKTON
Animals, such as fish and whales, that move independently of water currents between the bottom and surface of the ocean.

NEUTRAL
Having a pH of 7 and thus being neither acidic nor basic.

NICHE
The location and role or job for which a species is well suited within its community, including its habitat, what it eats, its activities, and its interaction with other living things

NODE
Where leaves grow from a plant stem.

NON-BIODEGRADABLE
Not able to be consumed and or broken down by biological organisms. Non-biodegradable substances include plastics, aluminum, and many chemicals used in industry and agriculture.

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE
Resources exist in the earth that are non renewable because we are taking them away and using them at a much faster rate than they were formed. Examples are copper, aluminum, coal, and oil.

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
The area of the earth above the equator.

NORTHERN TEMPERATE ZONE
The region between latitudes 23.5¡N and 66.5¡N.

NUCLEAR ENERGY
Energy produced from changes in atomic nuclei.

NUCLEI
The heavy centers of atoms.

O
OCEANS
The largest bodies of water on earth.

OCEANOGRAPHY
The study and exploration of the ocean.

OFFSETTING
Offsetting involves calculating the total amount of carbon dioxide that will be emitted from a certain activity, for example plane travel or a conference call.

OMNIVORES
Animals that eat both plants and animals.

ORGANICS
Replenishing the soil with natural materials which decompose readily and can easily be re-assimilated. Organic material is any part of any substance which once lived.

ORGANIC FARMERS...help renew the soil, clean the air, purify the water, and bring back the wildlife that chemicals have nearly destroyed.

ORGANIC FARMING
The organisation of a natural ecosystem is the inspiration for organic farming, and by this definition, organics is an all encompassing philosophy of life. It includes complex relationships such as beneficial insects balancing pests... Plants and microorganisms building soil... Trees protecting crop and animals and providing microclimate... More wildlife and birds... Low energy buildings of earth materials... Grower cooperation and community.

ORGANISM
All living things, including people, plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi.

ORNITHOLOGY
The study of birds.

OXIDATION
A chemical reaction involving the combination of a material with oxygen.

OXYGEN
An atmospheric gas made up of two oxygen atoms that is necessary for respiration.

OXYGEN CYCLE
The recycling of oxygen-containing gases between plants and animals.

OZONE
A form of oxygen made up of three oxygen atoms that forms the ozone layer.

OZONE CYCLE
The ongoing process by which ozone breaks down and re-forms in the ozone layer.

OZONE DEPLETION
Damage to the ozone layer.

OZONE LAYER
A layer in the atmosphere, 15 miles above the earth, which protects our planet from the sun's harmful rays.

P
PERENNIAL
Coming up year after year.

POLLUTION
Contamination of air, water, or soil by materials that can injure health, the quality of life, or the working of ecosystems.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS
The way leaves turn the sun's energy into plant food using water and carbon dioxide and chlorophyll.

POLLINATION
The distribution of pollen to the stigma of other plants by insects, bees, wind or birds.

PRUNING
Trimming unwanted or unhealthy parts of a plant, usually vines or fruit trees, to strengthen the parts that remain.

PARASITE
An organism that lives on or in a host organism and that gets its food from or at the expense of its host.

PARASITISM
A relationship in which one organism, a parasite, secures its nourishment by living on or inside a host organism at the expense of its host.

PERMACULTURE
"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system."Bill Mollison (from the permaculture.net website).Visit http://www.permaculture.net and read other definitions of permaculture.

PERMAFROST
A layer of permanently frozen soil underground. An important feature of a tundra.

pH
The unit of measure for determining whether a solution is acidic, basic, or neutral.

pH SCALE
The scale, ranging from 0 to 14, used to measure the pH of a solution.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS
The process by which plants use light energy trapped by chlorophyll to change carbon dioxide and water into food.

PHYTOPLANKTON
Plant plankton.

PLANKTON
Small to microscopic organisms that live near the ocean's surface and are carried along by the currents. Animal plankton are called zooplankton, and plant plankton are called phytoplankton.

PLATE
A large section of Earth's crust.

POLYP
A tiny, tube like marine animal of which live coral is made, one end of which is attached to the sea bottom, to rocks, or to one another and the opposite end of which is a mouth surrounded by fingerlike, stinging tentacles.

POPULATION
Organisms of the same species living together in a specific area; also the total count of individuals in a specific area, such as the population of a town.

PRECIPITATION
Water that returns to the earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow.

PRECYCLE
Consciousness about what you buy and use and choosing products based on less waste reduction.

PREDATOR
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.

PREVAILING WINDS
Winds that blow consistently from one direction.

PRODUCERS
Organisms (specifically, plants) that can produce their own food.

PUMICE
Volcanic rock formed during the explosive eruption of magma; it has numerous gas bubbles and floats on water.

Q QUERY - ECO?
ECO
Meaning ecology or the environment (in the ecological sense).

R
RADIATION
Energy transfer in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles that release energy when absorbed by an object.

RADIOACTIVE
Giving off or capable of giving off radiant energy in the form of particles or rays, as in alpha, beta, and gamma rays.

RAIN FOREST
An evergreen woodland of the tropics distinguished by a continuous leaf canopy and an average rainfall of about 100 inches per year. Rain forests play an important role in the global environment. The Earth sustains life because of critical balances and interactions among many factors. Were there not processes at work that limit the effects of other essential processes, Earth would become uninhabitable.

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Energy taken from a resource that is naturally replenished and cannot run out over time. This contrasts with fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas and nuclear power, based on uranium, all of which have finite resources. Renewable sources of energy produce fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels and so contribute less to global climate change.

RECYCLE
To use again.

REDUCE
Using less.

REUSE
Use something another time.

RECYCLING
Using something more than once, either just the way it is, or reprocessed into something else.

REFORESTATION
Planting and growing new trees where other trees have been cut down.

REMEDIES Anecdotal evidence indicates that our Grandma was a lot wiser with our environment than we think. Not only were Granny's remedies low on pollution, they were low on cost and extremely effective too compared to the mass produced chemicals we see on the supermarket shelves today.
http://ecobites.com/ja-slideshow/countdown-to-earth-day-2.html

RENEWABLE
Able to be replaced or replenished, either by the earth's natural processes or by human action. Air, water, and forests are often considered to be example of renewable resources.

RENEWABLE RESOURCE
Resources exist in the earth that are non renewable because we are taking them away and using them at a much faster rate than they were formed. Examples are copper, aluminum, coal, and oil.

RESPIRATION
An ongoing process by which plants and animals take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.

RICHTER SCALE
The scale developed by American seismologist Charles Richter that describes the amount of energy released by an earthquake on a scale from 1 to 10. Each whole number increase in value on the scale indicates a 10-fold increase in the energy released. Earthquakes measuring 7 to 7.9 are major and those measuring 8 or above cause widespread destruction.

RIVER FLOOD
The overflowing of the banks of a river or stream. It may be caused by excessive rain, the springtime melting of snow, blockage of water flow due to ice, or the failure of a dam or aqueduct.

RIVER GUAGE
A vertical measuring stick immersed in a river to measure changes in water level.

ROCKSLIDE
A cascade of rocks (of any size) down a steep slope at high speeds.

ROOT CROPS
Crops in which the edible portion is taken from under the ground. These include potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets.

ROTATION
A regular scheme in which crops are planted in different parts of the garden in order to change the demands made on the soil.

S
SALINITY
The degree of salt in water. The rise in sea level due to global warming would result in increased salinity of rivers, bays and aquifers. This would affect drinking water, agriculture and wildlife.

SANITARY LANDFILL
A solid waste disposal area that protects the environment from leachate.

SATURATED
Containing the maximum amount of water a material can hold

SAVANNAH
A land, which is without trees but with much grass either tall or short (such as the African savannah)

SCRUB
Plants, such as small trees and shrubs, that usually have many stems, unlike trees, which have one main trunk

SEA LEVEL
The level of the surface of the ocean.

SECOND-ORDER CONSUMERS
Animals that eat first-order consumers.

SEISMIC WAVES
Vibrations that move outward from the focus of an earthquake, causing the ground to shake. (pronounced SIZE-mic waves).

SEISMOGRAPH
An instrument used to detect and measure seismic waves.

SEMIARID
Having a climate that is dry, but not as dry as a desert.

SINK
Any process, activity or mechanism, which removes a greenhouse gas, an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas or aerosol from the atmosphere.

SOIL EROSION
The washing away or blowing away of topsoil. Trees and other plants hold the soil in place and help reduce the force of the wind. Soil erosion happens when trees and plants are cut down.

SOLAR ENERGY
Energy from the sun.

SOLAR POWER
Power, usually in the form of electricity or heat, derived from the Sun's radiation.

SOLAR RADIATION
Radiation emitted by the Sun.

SOLAR THERMAL + SOLAR WATER HEATING
These usually consist of systems in which water is heated by the sun via a solar panel (solar thermal collector). Solar hot water systems are made up of sun collectors, a storage tank to store the hot water and a circulation loop to move the hot water from the collector to the tank. Air-based solar thermal systems pass air through a heat exchanger to pre-heat air for space (room) heating.

SOLUTION
A mixture made by dissolving a substance in a liquid, such as water.

SOUTHERN HEMESPHIRE
The area of the earth below the equator.

SOUTHERN TEMPERATE ZONE
The region between latitudes 23.5¡S and 66.5¡S.

SPECIES
A group of similar and related organisms.

STERN REVIEW
In 2006, economist Sir Nicholas Stern published a report - The Stern Review - on the economics of climate change.

STOMATA
Tiny pores on the surface of plant leaves that can open and close to take in and give out water vapour.

STONE MULCHING
Placing rocks and stones around plants, usually trees, to prevent moisture loss by the sun's evaporation and to stop weeds.

STRATUS
Clouds, which are produced by stable air and looks like an even blanket.

STRATONIMBUS
Stratus clouds which produce a steady rainfall.

STREAMFLOW
The volume of water that moves over a designated point over a fixed period of time.

SUBCANOPY LAYER
A forest's third layer, formed by the leaves and branches of shorter trees under the canopy layer.

SUBLIME CLIMATE CHANGE
The change in the climate caused by global warming.

SUCCULENT PLANTS
Plants that have thick, fleshy leaves or stems for storing water.

SUNLIGHT ZONE
The upper 488 feet (150 m) of the ocean, where sunlight penetrates and where about 90 percent of all marine life live.

SUPERORGANISM
An organism, such as coral or the Portuguese man-of-war, that appears to be one organism, but in fact is a number of colonial animals joined together.

SURFACE FIRE
A fire with a visible flame that consumes plant material and debris on the forest floor.

SUSTAINABILITY
The best-known definition of sustainability or sustainable development is the definition by  the World Commission on Environment and Development. This suggests that sustainability is defined as "forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs."

SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Sustainability has come to mean the ability to meet present needs without damaging or depleting the environmental, economic or social resources that future generations will need.( From Teaching Tolerance)Visit http://www.sustainableliving.org and explore the concept of sustainable living.

T
TRACE ELEMENTS
Nutrients which are needed in very small amounts.

TEMPERATURE A measure of the energy in a substance. The more heat energy in the substance, the higher the temperature. The Earth receives only one two-billionth of the energy the sun produces. Much of the energy that hits the Earth is reflected back into space. Most of the energy that isn't reflected is absorbed by the Earth's surface. As the surface warms, it also warms the air above it.

THIRD ORDER CONSUMERS
Animals that eat first- and/or second-order consumers.

THREATENED SPECIES
Wild species that is still abundant in its natural range but is likely to become endangered because of a decline in numbers.

TIDAL STATION
A floating instrument center in the ocean that records water levels.

TOP CONSUMER
An organism at the top of a food chain.

TORNADO
Rapidly spinning column of air that extends from a thunderstorm cloud to the ground. Also called twister.

TORNADO CYCLONE
Spinning column of air that protrudes through the base of a thunderstorm cloud.

TRACE GAS
Any one of the less common gases found in the Earth's atmosphere.

TRANSPIRATION
The loss of water into the atmosphere through the stomata of plants.

TRASH
Items that are discarded also "waste".

TREE LINE
The height on a mountain above which the climate is too cold for trees to grow.

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
A forest that gains more water from precipitation than it loses through evaporation. Located in the tropical zone and having an average temperature between 70¡ and 85¡F (21¡ and 29¡C) and average yearly rainfall of more than 80 inches (200 cm).

TROPICAL ZONE
The region between latitudes 23.5¡S and 23.5¡N.

TROPICAL CYCLONE
Any rotating weather system that forms over tropical waters.

TROPICAL DEPRESSION
The weakest form of tropical cyclone, characterized by rotating bands of clouds and thunderstorms with maximum sustained winds of 38 miles (61 kilometers) per hour or less.

TROPICAL DISTURBANCE
A cluster of thunderstorms that is beginning to rotate.

TROPICAL STORM
A tropical cyclone weaker than a hurricane, with organized bands of rotating thunderstorms and maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles (63 to 117 kilometers) per hour.

TROUGH
The lowest point of a wave.

TSUNAMI
A series of giant ocean waves caused by a large displacement of water.(pronounced tsoo-NAH-mee)

TUNDRA
A treeless biome mainly in the north polar areas that has long frigid winters and brief summers and where grasses, mosses, lichen, low shrubs, and a few flowering plants survive.

TWILIGHT ZONE
The shadowy area of the ocean, extending from the bottom of the sunlight zone down to about 3,000 feet (l ,000 m), where plants cannot grow and where animals are less numerous and smaller.

TYPHOON
The name for a hurricane that forms over the western North Pacific and China Sea region.

U
URBAN HEAT ISLAND
Buildup of heat in the atmosphere above an urban area.

UNIVERSE
The solar system beyond our world.

ULTRAVIOLIET RADIATION
The energy range just beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. Although ultraviolet radiation constitutes only about 5 percent of the total energy emitted from the sun, it is the major energy source for the stratosphere and mesosphere, playing a dominant role in both energy balance and chemical composition.

V
VEGETATION
Plant life.

VENT
An opening in the surface of Earth through which molten rock, lava, ash, and gases escape.

VIRGA
Rain which fall in the sky but evaporates before it reaches the ground.

VOLCANO
A naturally occurring vent or fissure at the Earth's surface through which erupt molten, solid, and gaseous materials. Volcanic eruptions inject large quantities of dust, gas, and aerosols into the atmosphere. A major component of volcanic clouds is sulfur dioxide, a strong absorber of ultraviolet radiation.

W
WASTE
Waste, rubbish, trash, garbage, or junk is unwanted or undesired material.

WASTEWATER
Water that has been used and contains dissolved or suspended waste materials.

WATER CYCLE
The recycling of water between the earth and the atmosphere.

WATER ENERGY
Energy from moving water.

WATER VAPOUR
The most abundant greenhouse gas, it is the water present in the atmosphere in gaseous form. Water vapor is an important part of the natural greenhouse effect.

WEATHER
Atmospheric condition at any given time or place.

WEED
Any plant that grows where it is not wanted.

WET DEPOSITS
Air pollutants that mix with moisture in the air before falling to the ground.

WILD FLOWER
A flowering plant that grows in woods, deserts, or other natural areas.

WIND BREAKS
The practice of planting trees and shrubs to protect fields from soil erosion by wind.

WIND CHILL
The wind can reduce significantly the amount of heat your body retains. The following wind chill chart does not take into account such variables as type of clothing worn, amount of exposed flesh, and physical condition, all of which would alter body heat.

WIND ENERGY
Energy from moving air.

WIND POWER
Power, usually in the form of electricity, derived from the wind.

WINDWARD
The side of a mountain facing the direction from which the wind is blowing (in the United States, the western side). Warm air ascends, forms clouds, and yields precipitation on this side.

WOOD PELLETS
Wood pellets are a type of wood fuel, generally made from compacted sawdust. They are usually produced as a bye-product of sawmilling and other wood transformation activities. The pellets are extremely dense and can be produced with a low humidity content (below 10%) that allows them to be burned with a very high combustion efficiency. Pellet heating systems provide a low net CO2 solution, because the quantity of CO2 emitted during combustion is equal to the CO2 absorbed by the tree during its growth. Using the high efficiency burners developed in recent years, other emissions (such as NOx) are also very low, making this one of the cleanest heating options available.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principle vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
“Kick the Habit” (the ‘carbon’ habit).

There are many ways to kick the carbon habit...

Cycle, walk or bus to school and leave the car at home.

Cut rubbish and waste by at least half.

Use less electricity and less water.

Say no to fast food and supermarkets and yes to organic and local produce.

Take up Gardening.Get composting. It minimises landfill waste and recycles it back into the earth.

Good for the environment: The garden is the one place where you can make a small but real difference. No pesticides, no wasteful packaging and no food miles.

Living sustainably means living smarter. Join with ecobiters and share how you and your family reduce your impact on the environment and save money.

Change the habits of a consumer to those of a conserver.

Inspiration leads to motivation, and motivation results in action!

Every step makes a difference! Together we can really help the environment — the more of us that step up, the bigger the difference we’ll all make.

A million people making one small change is better than a hundred people making a hundred changes to their lifestyle.

X X-TRAORDINARY 'Green' Activites
Here are some eco-friendly ways you can encourage your Eco kids to go green and celebrate the earth. Focusing on becoming a "Green" family working to instil eco-friendly activities into everyday activities. As a unique pledge consider a resolution aimed at family unity and collaboration.  
http://ecobites.com/eco-arts-crafts-activities/go-green-earth-day-activities.html

Allow time to reflect on all that has been explored and discovered during this celebration and continue to make these important connections to nature for the rest of the year - and the rest of your families lives.

http://ecobites.com/natural-tips/low-impact-lifestyle.html

Inspiration leads to motivation, and motivation results in action!

Y YOUTH DAY in Sydney July 2008 continues the tradition that has attracted millions of participants to the biggest celebration of young people on earth.
World Youth Day (WYD) is the largest youth event in the world and will be held in Sydney from Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 July 2008.

Z
ZOO
Controlled environment where we visit and learn about animals.

ZOOPLANKTON
Animal plankton.

1. Earth is warmer now than at any time in the past 1000 years.

2. 70% of the world's energy comes from burning fossil fuels.

3. 25% is the amount carbon dioxide levels have increased in the atmosphere since 1850.

4. 90% of all the ice on Earth is in the Antartic ice sheet.

5. 2/3 of the world's biggest cities are in low, coastal areas.

6. The number of cars is expected to double over the next 30 years.

7. 6 tonnes is the current world average for carbon dioxide released per person, per year.

8. Televisions on standby can use over half the energy they do when switched on.

9. Today the average person uses more than four times as much energy as a person 100 years ago.

10.By measuring the size of your carbon footprint, you can take small gradual steps/ bites to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide you  individually release.

However, calulators can be confusing, with different results. The most significant impacts on our footprint are often things that are bigger than we are. We need to operate at the level of community, take on systems and institutions, and change our culture.

Email to large corporations and governments for positive changes and do what we can as individuals.