Definitions - r

R-Selection

Rapid growth and occupation through early reproduction, short life spans, low biomass, and lots of offspring. See K-Selection.

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R-value

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Radiant Barrier

A device designed to reduce or stop the flow of radiant energy.

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Radiant Floor Heating

A heating system that warms the floor, which radiates heat to the whole house. Often either electrical or hot water based.

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Radiation Inversion

An increase in temperature with height due to radiational cooling of the earth's surface. Also called a nocturnal inversion.

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Radiative Forcing

A change in the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared radiation. Without any radiative forcing, solar radiation coming to the Earth would continue to be approximately equal to the infrared radiation emitted from the Earth. The addition of greenhouse gases traps an increased fraction of the infrared radiation, radiating it back toward the surface and creating a warming influence.

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Rainshadow

An area of diminished precipitation on the lee (downwind) side of a mountain or mountain range.

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Rainwater Harvesting

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Rapidly Renewable

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Recovered Energy

Reused heat or energy that otherwise would be lost. For example, a combined cycle power plant recaptures some of its own waste heat and reuses it to make extra electric power.

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Recovered Material

Fragments of products or finished products of a manufacturing process, which has converted a resource into a commodity of real economic value, and includes pre-consumer and post-consumer material but does not include excess resources of the manufacturing process.

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Recycling
Recycling

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Redox Cell

The redox (reduction–oxidation) cell is a reversible cell in which electrochemical components are dissolved in the electrolyte. Redox flow batteries are rechargeable.


Typically they are able to be deeply discharged and recharged to full without ill effect on the lifetime of the battery or its capacity. Also they can be left indefinitely in a charged state, making them ideal with stand by power situations.

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Reforestation

Total dry weight of all living organisms that can be supported at each tropic level in a food chain.

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Refurbished Product

A product that has been completely disassembled and restored to its original working order while maximizing the reuse of its original materials.

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Relative Ecological Sustainability

Ability of an ecosystem to maintain relative ecological integrity indefinitely.

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Relative Humidity

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Remanufactured Product

Any product diverted from the supply of discarded materials by refurbishing and marketing said product without substantial change to its original form.

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Renewable Energy

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Resident Fish

Fish species that complete their entire life cycle in freshwater. Non-anadromous fish. An example is rainbow trout.

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Residential Solar

Residential Solar is where Solar power is installed by a home owner to reduce their dependence on the grid and thereby reduce their ongoing electricity costs.

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Resource Efficiency

A practice in which the primary consideration of material use begins with the concept of "Reduce - Reuse - Recycle - Repair" stated in descending order of priority.

This concept may be applied in everyday life to help promote a sustainable society. In design, begin by reducing the amount of material that is specified; find ways to reuse materials, recycle products or product waste; specify products made from recycled materials; and repair or restore products instead of replacing them.

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Retorting

The heating of oil shale to get the oil out from it.

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Reverse Graffiti

A form of outdoor advertising with a clean is green message.Essentially it is created by power washing a message into a dirty surface such as a side-walk or an outdoor concrete wall. A specific form of green graffiti.

How legal such graffiti is depends on the laws in force for the area concerned. Some local governments require any form of advertising to require prior permission before placement. Also careful consideration needs to be given to the effect of power cleaning on the actual material being cleaned, it could well promote breaking down the exposed surface quicker than would have otherwise being the case.

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Rewilding

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Riparian Area

An area of land directly influenced by water. An ecosystem that is transitional between land and water ecosystems. Riparian areas usually have visible vegetative or physical characteristics reflecting the influence of water. River sides, lake borders, and marshes are typical riparian areas.

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Riparian Buffer

Riparian areas that are managed to protect the aquatic and riparian ecosystem. A riparian buffer protects water quality and temperature, habitat along the banks, upland habitat for aquatic and riparian species, and some or all of the floodplain.

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Riparian Rights

The rights of water use possessed by a person owning land containing or bordering a water course or lake.

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Roll Cloud

A rotating, cigar-shaped cloud that sometimes precedes a thunderstorm. Often seen in UFO photographs.

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Rough Fish

Fish not prized for sport or eating, such as gar and suckers. Most are more tolerant of changing environmental conditions than are game or food species.

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