Definitions - s

A solid waste disposal area that protects the environment from leachate.

Any organism, esp a fungus or bacterium, that lives and feeds on dead organic matter.

A land which is without trees but with much grass either tall or short (such as the African savannah).

A type of vertical axis wind turbine that uses half-drum shaped blades to catch the wind and turn a shaft. These generally produce high torque but at low speed, so good for water pumping but they are occasionally used for producing electricity.

Cork isn’t just for wine bottles anymore. Probably the most popular use of cork now is flooring because it provides natural thermal insulation, thus helping to lower energy consumption, and it also has the natural ability to absorb sound and shock. It is a type of flooring that suits most allergy sufferers and is very durable despite its rubbery feel. Did you know there is actually a Cork Oak tree? Well, there is and it’s a pretty cool tree that is responsible for all those wine corks and cork flooring. Cork is harvested by peeling away the bark from the trunk and branches every 9-12 years and does not necessitate the felling of the tree. And, Cork Oak trees do not die when their bark is removed like most trees.

An air pollution device that uses a spray of water or reactant or a dry process to trap pollutants in emissions.

Local coastal wind that blows from the ocean to land. Sea breezes usually occur during the day because the heating differences of land and sea cause pressure differences. Cooler heavier air from the sea moves in to replace rising warm air on the coastline. See land breeze.

A Second Order Consumer is a consumer in a food chain that consumes the First Order Consumers. They in turn can be consumed by a Third Order Consumer and so on.

Wastewater tanks in which floating wastes are skimmed off and settled solids are removed for disposal.

Underground tank for treatment of wastewater from a home in rural and suburban areas. Bacteria in the tank decompose organic wastes and the sludge settles to the bottom of the tank. The effluent flows out of the tank into the ground through a field of drainpipes.

The proportion of sunlight energy that a photovoltaic cell converts to electrical energy.

A Carbon Tax is a government imposed taxation on source goods and services in an attempt to reduce the production of carbon into the atmosphere.

Usually implemented as a form of 'at source' taxation; i.e. those whom manufacturer or consume the most carbon pay and everybody else on the supply chain picks up the price increase. This is often encountered with a carbon credit scheme, by which carbon producers can 'offset' their taxable carbon emissions against less carbon intense production methods.

As always with such schemes, the devil is in the detail; in particular there has been problems in the past with carbon fraud.

Note: This equally applies to the energy production sector as basic manufacturing; say if coal is being used as a source of electrical power.

Carbon Pollution refers to the human produce Co2 that is meant to be harming the environment.

Oil obtained from bituminous shale, most often by a technique called fracking.

Building whose occupants experience acute health and/or comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent therein, but where no specific illness or cause can be identified. Complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may spread throughout the building.

Slow Food describes a movement created “to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world,” as defined on the movement’s website. More broadly, it places an emphasis on local and seasonal produce and an adherence to regional cultures. Its goals also include lobbying against the use of pesticides and genetic engineering of food.

Sea Level Pressure.

Smart Eco refers to the usage of computerization and ecologically focused system design to create locally grouped and controlled environments that have a reduced impact on the global environment. Examples of Smart Eco Design include: computer controlled irrigation systems that monitor weather conditions to minimize water usage; consumer appliances that are aware of power availability and adjust accordingly, and environmental controls that use passive design techniques to maintain a stable temperature.

A smart eco home is one which is designed to minimize its environmental impact through its lifetime. This includes the process of building and material selection. 

This is usually defined as the act of replacing stale or noxious air with fresh air.

In the eco field it is also important to differentiate between what are termed passive ventilation and active ventilation. Passive ventilation is where no additional electrical or mechanical energy is required to make the ventilation work. Active ventilation on the other hand won't work without using additional energy.

Passive ventilation is an aspect of passive building design and often utilizes heat chimneys and natural air flows across the land to achieve adequate ventilation.

This is usually defined as the act of replacing stale or noxious air with fresh air.

In the eco field it is also important to differentiate between what are termed passive ventilation and active ventilation. Passive ventilation is where no additional electrical or mechanical energy is required to make the ventilation work. Active ventilation on the other hand won't work without using additional energy.

Passive ventilation is an aspect of passive building design and often utilizes heat chimneys and natural air flows across the land to achieve adequate ventilation.

Air pollution typically associated with oxidants.

Used widely as a major ingredient in cosmetics, skin care products, toothpaste, shampoos and other foaming products. Industrial uses of SLS include garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps. SLS is also used in testing-labs as the standard skin irritant to compare the healing properties of other ingredients.

According to the American College of Toxicology, both SLS and SLES can cause malformation in children's eyes. Other research has indicated SLS may be damaging to the immune system and may cause potentially carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins to form in the bottles of shampoos and cleansers by reacting with commonly used ingredients found in many products. Also, large amounts of these nitrates may enter the blood system from just one shampooing. Studies have indicated that SLS easily penetrates through the skin and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain.

Sodium perborate is a white odorless crystalline compound soluble in water. Its chemical formula is NaBO₃.

It is an important ingredient of many laundry detergent powders, laundry bleach additive products and automatic machine dishwash powders. Sodium perborate is also used as a tooth whitener in toothpastes, as an antiseptic, as a deodorant, and as a reactive agent (reagent) in industral processes.

An indicator of a soil's susceptibility to raindrop impact, runoff, and other erosive processes.

Cork isn’t just for wine bottles anymore. Probably the most popular use of cork now is flooring because it provides natural thermal insulation, thus helping to lower energy consumption, and it also has the natural ability to absorb sound and shock. It is a type of flooring that suits most allergy sufferers and is very durable despite its rubbery feel. Did you know there is actually a Cork Oak tree? Well, there is and it’s a pretty cool tree that is responsible for all those wine corks and cork flooring. Cork is harvested by peeling away the bark from the trunk and branches every 9-12 years and does not necessitate the felling of the tree. And, Cork Oak trees do not die when their bark is removed like most trees.

The average amount of solar radiation that reaches the earth's upper atmosphere on a surface perpendicular to the sun's rays; equal to 1353 Watts per square meter or 492 Btu per square foot.

A Solar Conversation is basically the act of fitting Solar system to a property to utilize the Sun directly, such as fittings Solar Panels and Solar water heating. In addition this could cover fitting indirect solar systems, such as roof space heat recovery systems.

The use of solar thermal energy or solar electricity to power a cooling appliance. Photovoltaic systems can power evaporative coolers ("swamp" coolers), heat-pumps, and air conditioners.

Rewilding is the act of reintroducing species to areas where they previously went extinct. The assumption being that by them being reintroduced it makes the areas more 'wild' and therefore natural compared to what it was previously.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

A solar grove is basically a set of solar panel arrays  so installed as to allow the ground under them to be used as shade. For instance with an open car park this allows electricity to be generated whilst keeping the cars below cool, so saving on air conditioning costs for each car.

A solar home refers to a house that has been designed specially to benefit from passive solar design principals; i.e. using the Sun to provide heat in winter, whilst avoiding it heating up the house excessively in Summer.

Rewilding is the act of reintroducing species to areas where they previously went extinct. The assumption being that by them being reintroduced it makes the areas more 'wild' and therefore natural compared to what it was previously.

A solar hot water system consists of a collector, heat transfer circuit and hot water storage system. These can either be combined into one system or into 3 separate components depending on your exact needs. There are many different commercial suppliers.

See Solar Water heating, how it works and the options available article for more information.

Solar lighting refers to usage of solar light to charge a rechargeable battery during the day. Then during night time the battery is then used to power the lights. This cycle is usually fully automatic.

Solar Orientation refers to the solar alignment of a structure. Usually this used as one measure to determine the structures ability to harness solar energy. Most often used with respect to solar panels or buildings.

Electrical device consisting of a large array of connected solar cells.

Solar Panel Efficiency is a percentage measure of how Solar Energy from the Sun hitting a solar panel is ideally converted into useful electrical power. This is often given assuming perfect conditions; i.e. no shade, maximum sun and cool. In practice the actual rate of conversion can be somewhat different due to:

• Shading - even partial shading can have a dramatic effect on the energy produced.
• Heat - the hotter a solar panel becomes the less efficient it is at converting solar energy into electrical energy.
• Sun Strength - akin to shading, but if the Sun is behind clouds or low in the sky you will get dramatically less power.
  

Solar Power refers to the act of using the Sun's energy to produce a power source, usually in the form of electricity. This is usually done using solar panels, although it can also be done using a solar mirror/concentrator to heat water to steam to power a turbine.

Solar Power Generation is the act of using a system that is powered by the Sun to produce typically electrical power.

A solar power system is one which is primarily powered by solar energy.

Describes an object which is either solely or completely powered from the Sun. It may require direct Sun light to work or stores the solar energy in a battery to use later, such as solar powered garden lights.

The amount of solar insolation a site receives, usually measured in kWh/m2/day, which is equivalent to the number of peak sun hours.

A Solar Roof Tile is a roof tile engineered to function as a roof tile and also as a solar panel at the same time. This way the 'look' of the roof is not adversely impacted by a separate set of solar panels and existing roofing structures can be used to support the new tiles.

Rewilding is the act of reintroducing species to areas where they previously went extinct. The assumption being that by them being reintroduced it makes the areas more 'wild' and therefore natural compared to what it was previously.

A device designed to receive solar radiation and convert it into thermal energy. Normally, a solar thermal collector includes a frame, glazing, and an absorber, together with the appropriate insulation. The heat collected by the solar thermal collector may be used immediately or stored for later use.

A Solar Water Pump is a water pump which is solely powered by Solar Panels, so as a result only runs during the day. This typically used for raising water into a holding tank to then allow water to distributed by gravity as needed, such as water from a well or river.

A method of separation used to purify vegetable oils.

Refers to products that result in a net reduction in the generation of waste compared to their previous or alternate version and includes durable, reusable and re-manufactured products; products with no, or reduced, toxic constituents; and products marketed with no, or reduced packaging.

Items such as household hazardous waste, bulky wastes (refrigerators, pieces of furniture, etc.) tires, and used oil.

Dirt or rock removed from its original location, destroying the composition of the soil in the process; as in strip-mining, dredging, or construction.

Sea Surface Temperature

Flow of air resulting from warm air rising, creating a positive pressure area at the top of a building and negative pressure area at the bottom. This effect can overpower the mechanical system and disrupt building ventilation and air circulation.

Energy generated by a stand-alone system is stored in batteries and then subsequently used. Also known as “off-grid,” these systems are not connected to the utility grid.

The removal or destruction of all microorganisms, including pathogenic and other bacteria, vegetative forms, and spores.

The capacity of a battery, in amp-hours, compared to its weight or volume. Measured in watt-hours per kilogram or watt-hours per litre.

The living place or "home" of a particular organism or biological community.

The volume of water that moves over a designated point over a fixed period of time.

Cutting deep trenches to remove minerals such as coal and phosphate found near the earth's surface in flat or rolling terrain.

Minimum food and shelter necessary to support life.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

Particulate matter that consists of compounds of sulfur formed by the interaction of sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide with other compounds in the atmosphere. Sulfate aerosols are injected into the atmosphere from the combustion of fossil fuels and the eruption of volcanoes like Mt. Pinatubo. Recent theory suggests that sulfate aerosols may lower the Earth's temperature by reflecting away solar radiation (negative radiative forcing). General Circulation Models which incorporate the effects of sulfate aerosols more accurately predict global temperature variations.

Cyclic movement of sulfur in different chemical forms from the environment, to organisms, and then back to the environment.

Cork isn’t just for wine bottles anymore. Probably the most popular use of cork now is flooring because it provides natural thermal insulation, thus helping to lower energy consumption, and it also has the natural ability to absorb sound and shock. It is a type of flooring that suits most allergy sufferers and is very durable despite its rubbery feel. Did you know there is actually a Cork Oak tree? Well, there is and it’s a pretty cool tree that is responsible for all those wine corks and cork flooring. Cork is harvested by peeling away the bark from the trunk and branches every 9-12 years and does not necessitate the felling of the tree. And, Cork Oak trees do not die when their bark is removed like most trees.

Sun Orientation refers to the alignment of a building or structure with respect to the transit of the Sun across the sky. The orientation determines which walls or windows receive light during the day. This is an important factor in passive solar building design.

You can read more about passive solar and Sun orientation in this article .

Super Grid is a term referring to continent-wide energy grids that link far flung renewable energy sources with population centers.

Proposals for a European Super Grid, for example, would see solar farms in North Africa, wind farms in the North Sea and Russia, hydro electric facilities in Scandinavia, and geothermal power plants in Iceland all transmit energy to Europe.

Supporters of the proposals argue that spreading the energy grid across such a wide area and sourcing energy from a variety of different renewable sources would overcome concerns over reliability that can undermine efforts to increase renewable energy capacity.

Insulating a building to minimize the amount of heat that can escape from (or, in a hot climate, enter) a building.

One of the new generation of glazing technologies, superwindows are double or triple-glazed window sandwiches which contain a center sheet of coated mylar "low-emissivity' film and are filled with argon or krypton gas. This construction and the coatings on the film allows short-wave radiation (visible light) to pass through, but reflects long-wavelength radiation (infrared or heat) so heat can- not pass through. R-values of 4.5 or more are achieved.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).

Sustainable development is the act of development (as in industrial development, be it farming, manufacturing, commerce, etc) performed in such a way it is:

• Green,
• Clean,
• Sustainable, and,
• Balanced

Sustainable energy refers to energy sources which are in themselves sustainable; e.g. they are not considered finite.

Typically these consist of: Hydro, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and tidal.

Note: it is important when considering the technologies that utilize sustainable energy sources that the total lifetime cost is fully considered (e.g. from manufacturer, deployment, ongoing maintenance, to final disposal). Although the energy source many not be finite, the lifetime of operation of the technology to access them is finite and this should be considered. Basically there is no point in picking a sustainable energy source using a technology which requires constant maintenance or replacement, there is no net benefit to the environment or the consumer of the energy (higher costs and less reliable).

Rewilding is the act of reintroducing species to areas where they previously went extinct. The assumption being that by them being reintroduced it makes the areas more 'wild' and therefore natural compared to what it was previously.

The amount of a naturally self-reproducing community, such as trees or fish, that can be harvested without diminishing the ability of the community to sustain itself.

A swale is a low tract of land, especially one that is moist or marshy. The term can refer to a natural landscape feature or a human-created one. Artificial swales are often designed to manage water runoff, filter pollutants, and increase rainwater infiltration.

See Wikipedia entry

Synthetic crude oil made from coal of from oil shale.

Synthetic gas or synthetic oil. Fuel that is artificially made as contrasted to that which is found in nature. Synthetic gas made from coal is considered to be more economical and easier to produce than synthetic oil. When natural gas supplies in the earth are being depleted, it is expected that synthetic gas will be able to be used widely as a substitute fuel.

Synthetic gas make from coal.

A chemical absorbed by an organism that interacts with the organism and makes the organism toxic to pests.