Sustainability

Is defined as the ability to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Eco-efficiency

In simple terms, eco-efficiency means doing more with less, recognizing the benefits of combining economic and environmental objectives. By being eco-efficient, goods and services can be produced with less energy and fewer raw materials, resulting in less waste, less pollution and less cost. The main objective of eco-efficiency is ecologically sustainable development.

Product Stewardship

Recognizes the benefits of combining economic and environmental objectives. By being eco-efficient, goods and services can be produced with less energy and fewer raw materials, resulting in less waste, less pollution and less cost.   Product stewardship recognizes that product manufacturers can and must take on new responsibilities to reduce the environmental footprint of their products.

Dematerialize/De-manufacture

The de-manufacturing process is most often used in end-of-life consumer electronics (CE) disposal.  It allows the recycling of nearly all of the materials in these products and keeps CE systems out of landfills. In the CE de-manufacturing program, units are sent to recycling centers where they are then disassembled, processed and separated into commodity streams of steel, aluminum, copper, other metals, and plastics. These materials are sent to other approved recyclers for conversion into new, usable resources.

Sustainable Development

The development of industrial systems and sites so that resource efficiency is maximized and environmental impacts minimized. For example the sharing, use and reuse of raw materials and wastes, building designs to maximize natural light and natural heating/ventilation, the use of renewable energy and grey-water, the setting of facilities and services to minimize the need for transport and the provision of public transport services etc.

Eco-effectiveness

Designing industrial processes so they do not generate toxic pollution and "waste" in the first place. Long-term prosperity depends on the effectiveness of processes designed to be healthy and renewable in the first place.

Life-Cycle Design

The identification, characterization and evaluation of potential environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product or service from cradle to grave including, reconstruction, use and disposal.

Cradle-to-Cradle

A product design strategy of eco-effectiveness rooted in the systems of the natural world, which are not efficient at all, but effective. This strategy sees a product returning to industry at the end of its useful life where its materials are used to make equally valuable new products.

Material Taxes

Taxes collected from customers on hard-to-dispose of materials by the wholesaler (typically for oil, antifreeze, solvents, etc.)

Mandatory Recycling Targets

Governmentally defined recycling targets for several waste flows, notably packaging and organic waste.

“Take-Back” Requirements

"Producer Responsibility" (PR), or "take-back" laws, requires companies who make or import items to be involved in the "end-of-life" phase of their products’ life cycles (most commonly enforced in consumer electronics). In almost all cases, there is a requirement to meet minimal recycling or re-use rates.

LEED 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System^® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council representing all segments of the building industry developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution.

Renewable Resources

Natural resources that may be replenished through natural cycles and sound management. The sun, wind, wetlands, forests and croplands are examples of renewable resources.

Environmental Cost Accounting

Costs that may arise as a result of corporate environmental activities - i.e. statutory or voluntary activities aimed at avoiding, reducing, treating and treatment/disposing corporate waste and emissions - but also as a result of lacking corporate environmental policy.

Sustainability Index

The measure of overall progress towards environmental sustainability.

Triple Bottom Line

(TBL) focuses corporations not just on the economic value they add, but also on the environmental and social value they add – and destroy. At its narrowest, the term ‘triple bottom line’ is used as a framework for measuring and reporting corporate performance against economic, social and environmental parameters.

At its broadest, the term is used to capture the whole set of values, issues and processes that companies must address in order to minimize any harm resulting from their activities and to create economic, social and environmental value. This involves being clear about the company’s purpose and taking into consideration the needs of all the company’s stakeholders – shareholders, customers, employees, business partners, governments, local communities and the public.

Natural Capitalism

Natural capital refers to the resources and services provided by nature. They are of enormous economic value - more so than the gross world product. Natural capitalism is a system of four interlinking principles, where business and environmental interests overlap, and in which businesses can better satisfy their customers' needs, increase profits and help solve environmental problems all at the same time.

Global Climate Change

Change in the world's climate most often attributed to human influences and activities.

Socially Responsible Investing

Integrating personal values and societal concerns with investment.  SRI considers both the investor's financial needs and an investment’s impact on society.

Natural Step

The Natural Step provides a blueprint for a sustainable world. The upstream approach means problems are addressed at the source and turned into opportunities for innovation.  These principles of sustainability drive path-breaking models and tools that pass these three tests: Is it good for business, good for society and good for the environment?

Environmental Labeling

Eco-labeling occurs where a product has been produced to an environmental standard and is thus accredited to that standard. The environmental standard will ensure that the product has been produced in line with defined environmental criteria and indicators which monitor the entire production process of the product. For example, forest products produced in line with FSC forest management guidelines will be certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and can then be sold to a market with an eco-label and demand a higher market price.