The A-Z of sustainability buzzwords

The A-Z of sustainability buzzwords

As the waste management industry makes greater strides in the world of sustainability, it can be tricky to keep up with. While we can do our best to recycle properly, reduce our waste, compost organic materials, and support companies with sustainable practices, there’s still some confusion when it comes to being a responsible consumer. After all, what do the terms you see popping up time and again actually mean?

A mix of confusing terminology, alarming statistics, and an overwhelming amount of information means that understanding our own impact – both as consumers and beyond – can feel insurmountable. Check out this handy A-Z guide to the most commonly used terms below.

B Corp
B Corp (or B Corporations) certification means that brands are certified by B Lab they meet high standards of sustainability, such as social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

Biodegradable
When the materials naturally break down over time thanks to organisms in the environment, without causing any harm to the planet.

Carbon neutral
Working towards carbon neutrality means aiming to have less of an impact on the planet, by minimising and counteracting carbon emissions. Being carbon neutral means that the amount of carbon dioxide produced (from doing things like burning fossil fuels) is equal to or less than the amount of carbon dioxide being captured or taken away from the environment. It’s a term that can be applied to brands, other businesses and even individuals.

Carbon footprint
Carbon footprint is a way to measure the amount of carbon dioxide put into our atmosphere, either by an individual, a business, an organisation or a whole community.

Circularity
Circularity is a system where products and materials are continuously reused, repaired, and recycled, rather than being disposed of. This approach aims to minimise waste and environmental impact by keeping resources in use for as long as possible, creating a closed-loop system. It’s about designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.

Eco-anxiety
Eco-anxiety is defined as “a chronic fear of environmental doom”, which occurs when the worry about climate change takes over your daily thoughts and day-to-day life.

Greenhouse effect
The Greenhouse effects occurs when gases in earth’s atmosphere trap the heat from the sun, heating up our planet. When at its natural level, this is vital for life to survive on our planet. However, burning fossil fuels – such as coal and oil – puts more carbon dioxide into our atmosphere and changes Earth’s natural levels.