Definitions - m

Magma

Hydraulic fracturing, often called fracking, fracing or hydrofracking, is the process of initiating and subsequently propagating a fracture in a rock layer, employing the pressure of a fluid as the source of energy. The fracturing, known as a frack job (or frac job), is done from a wellbore drilled into reservoir rock formations, in order to increase the extraction rates and ultimate recovery of oil and natural gas.

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Magnetosphere

The region around the earth in which the earth's magnetic field plays a dominant part in controlling the physical processes that take place.

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Mammatus Clouds

Clouds that look like pouches hanging from the underside of a cloud.

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Mandatory Recycling

Programs which by law require consumers to separate trash so that some or all recyclable materials are recovered for recycling rather than going to landfills.

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Mantle

Hydraulic fracturing, often called fracking, fracing or hydrofracking, is the process of initiating and subsequently propagating a fracture in a rock layer, employing the pressure of a fluid as the source of energy. The fracturing, known as a frack job (or frac job), is done from a wellbore drilled into reservoir rock formations, in order to increase the extraction rates and ultimate recovery of oil and natural gas.

Original Wikipedia entry

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Mauna Loa

Hydraulic fracturing, often called fracking, fracing or hydrofracking, is the process of initiating and subsequently propagating a fracture in a rock layer, employing the pressure of a fluid as the source of energy. The fracturing, known as a frack job (or frac job), is done from a wellbore drilled into reservoir rock formations, in order to increase the extraction rates and ultimate recovery of oil and natural gas.

Original Wikipedia entry

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Mean Radiant Temperature

The average temperature experienced from the combination of all the surface temperatures in a room, i.e walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, and people.

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Mesoscale

The scale of meteorological phenomena that ranges in size from a few km to about 100 km. It includes local winds, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

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Meteorologist

Environmental Pollution refers to the presence or introduction of known pollutants into an environment that result in a degrading of the environmental biosphere in terms of size, variety and longevity/sustainability.


In particular such pollution tends to stay within an environment for an extended period of time (many years) without specific steps to reduce or remove it. In essence the natural ability of the environment to 'clean itself' is unable to cope with the pollution and significant damage results.

Examples of such pollution includes (but not limited to):
  • Fertilizer runoff - where fertilizer escapes from farmed land into wild environments and modifies the native/weed balance.
  • Pesticides residue - pesticides can make their way into the food chain and become concentrated.
  • Heavy metals/plastics - again can be concentrated in the food chain and have an adverse effect on longevity and reproduction.
  • Tailing spills - mining bi-products leaching.
  • Waste dump leaching - not properly isolated from the water table or illegal dumping.
A key aspect of such pollution is that it tends to accumulative and can be multi-factored, in that one act of pollution can cause a chain reaction that degrades multiple biospheres over time. Also such pollution can be readily attributed to a specific pollution act or occurrence, e.g. there is a clear provable chain of cause and effect.

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Meteorology

Energy Efficiency is when you use less energy to accomplish the same task, for example heating your home or washing clothes. Using less energy by being more efficient means less air pollution and lower costs.

To save energy in your home, you can use weather stripping, solar water heating, passive solar or compact fluorescent light bulbs. Also when shopping for household appliances, look for the Energy Star to find appliances that use less energy and lower your electricity costs.

You can also reduce your heating and cooling costs by installing better insulation.

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Methane

Environmental Pollution refers to the presence or introduction of known pollutants into an environment that result in a degrading of the environmental biosphere in terms of size, variety and longevity/sustainability.


In particular such pollution tends to stay within an environment for an extended period of time (many years) without specific steps to reduce or remove it. In essence the natural ability of the environment to 'clean itself' is unable to cope with the pollution and significant damage results.

Examples of such pollution includes (but not limited to):
  • Fertilizer runoff - where fertilizer escapes from farmed land into wild environments and modifies the native/weed balance.
  • Pesticides residue - pesticides can make their way into the food chain and become concentrated.
  • Heavy metals/plastics - again can be concentrated in the food chain and have an adverse effect on longevity and reproduction.
  • Tailing spills - mining bi-products leaching.
  • Waste dump leaching - not properly isolated from the water table or illegal dumping.
A key aspect of such pollution is that it tends to accumulative and can be multi-factored, in that one act of pollution can cause a chain reaction that degrades multiple biospheres over time. Also such pollution can be readily attributed to a specific pollution act or occurrence, e.g. there is a clear provable chain of cause and effect.

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Methyl Bromide

An effective pesticide; used to fumigate soil and many agricultural products. Because it contains bromine, it depletes stratospheric ozone when released to the atmosphere.

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Metropolitan Coalescence

The merging of the urbanized areas of separate metropolitan regions; Megalopolis is an example of this process.

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Micro Inverter

This is a small Inverter that mounts on to the back of each solar panel instead of having one large Inverter used by all the panels. While it works better when partial shading is a concern, it can increase the cost of the overall system.

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Micro Wind Turbine

Micro wind turbine is an umbrella term for small scale wind turbines that are typically deployed on or near buildings and used to generate electricity that is transmitted direct to the property.

Micro wind turbines have in the past been criticized for being visually intrusive and generating less energy than expected.

However, suppliers maintain that models can generate up to 100Kw of energy and represent an efficient source of on-site renewable energy as long as they are situated correctly.

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Microburst

A strong localized downdraft less than 4 km wide that occurs beneath severe thunderstorms. A strong downdraft greater than 4 km across is called a down burst.

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Microgrid

A microgrid is a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that to the grid act as a single controllable entity. A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the grid to allow it to operate in both grid-connected or island-mode.

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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.

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Mitigation

Energy Efficiency is when you use less energy to accomplish the same task, for example heating your home or washing clothes. Using less energy by being more efficient means less air pollution and lower costs.

To save energy in your home, you can use weather stripping, solar water heating, passive solar or compact fluorescent light bulbs. Also when shopping for household appliances, look for the Energy Star to find appliances that use less energy and lower your electricity costs.

You can also reduce your heating and cooling costs by installing better insulation.

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Modal

Modal is 100% biodegradable and can make a great eco alternative to viscose. It's made from beech trees in Australia and needs few fertilizers or pesticides.

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Monoculture

Environmental Pollution refers to the presence or introduction of known pollutants into an environment that result in a degrading of the environmental biosphere in terms of size, variety and longevity/sustainability.


In particular such pollution tends to stay within an environment for an extended period of time (many years) without specific steps to reduce or remove it. In essence the natural ability of the environment to 'clean itself' is unable to cope with the pollution and significant damage results.

Examples of such pollution includes (but not limited to):
  • Fertilizer runoff - where fertilizer escapes from farmed land into wild environments and modifies the native/weed balance.
  • Pesticides residue - pesticides can make their way into the food chain and become concentrated.
  • Heavy metals/plastics - again can be concentrated in the food chain and have an adverse effect on longevity and reproduction.
  • Tailing spills - mining bi-products leaching.
  • Waste dump leaching - not properly isolated from the water table or illegal dumping.
A key aspect of such pollution is that it tends to accumulative and can be multi-factored, in that one act of pollution can cause a chain reaction that degrades multiple biospheres over time. Also such pollution can be readily attributed to a specific pollution act or occurrence, e.g. there is a clear provable chain of cause and effect.

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Mould

A coating or discoloration caused by various saprotrophic fungi that develop in a damp atmosphere on the surface of stored food, fabrics, wallpaper, etc.

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Mutagenicity

A change in the genetic material of a living organism, usually in a single gene, which can be passed on to future generations.

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