- active transport
- afforestation
- carbon dioxide (Co2), carbon dioxide equivalent (Co2-e)
- carbon footprint
- carbon-neutral
- carbon sequestration
- carbon sink(s)
- climate change
- climate change adaptation
- eco-footprint, ecological footprint
- embodied energy
- energy conservation, saving energy, energy efficiency
- Fourth IPCC Assessment Report
- future-proof
- greenhouse abatement, greenhouse mitigation
- greenhouse gases (GHG), greenhouse gas emissions, carbon emissions, emissions
- green wash
- global warming, enhanced greenhouse effect
- GreenPower
- IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- Kyoto Protocol
- ozone
- particulates
- recycling
- renewable energy
- Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
- re-use
- saving water, water conservation, water efficiency
- solar panels, photovoltaics, PVs, solar array, solar cells
- standby power
- thermal mass
- triple bottom line (TBL, 3BL, or people, profit, planet)
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS)
- Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS)
carbon-neutral
Carbon-neutrality or going carbon-neutral refers to abating all the greenhouse gas emissions one releases and maintaining this zero carbon status. Becoming carbon-neutral can mean abating one’s total carbon footprint (this includes what one emits through use at home as well as all other facets of life such as the food consumed and items purchased. However, it is more often used to neutralise just the emissions from one’s home or business (usually electricity and gas use, waste emissions and travel emissions).
To become carbon-neutral, one’s carbon footprint (total or at home/work only) is calculated. A combination of energy conservation, energy efficiency and switching to renewable energy sources is used to reduce emissions where possible, with remaining emissions neutralised with the purchase of carbon offsets.