green living
Things to Know:

Simple changes that won't overwhelm

Take these basic steps to become more green.

Avoid the marketing misuse of 'green'

Learn about greenwashing and how to not get fooled.

Habits bad for the environment

A look at some of our most common environmental transgressions.

organic food and drinks
Before You Shop

Green wine grades and organic types

Learn what it takes for red and white wines to be "green."

Organic Food and Drinks

Organic? Certified? Local? Huh?

What does it all mean, and why should you care? Find out here.

What makes beer organic?

When it comes to brewing, it is not a great leap from craft beers to organic beers.

Food and global warming
healthy living
green homes 101
toxins in the home
Peek Inside a Modern Green Home
The kitchen features amber bamboo flooring — on the ceiling. The cabinets are made of strawboard, or compressed straw, a humble material that still looks elegant. A sheet metal wall, CaesarStone counters and porcelain tile flooring complete the room. (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)
Green Ideas for the Home

Simple home tips from a year of living green

Learn how to save money and be green in every room from the kitchen to home office.

recycling and conservation information
CFL Savings Calculator
What you can do...

20 ways you can fight global warming

It is no secret people are concerned about climate change, so here is what you can do.

green auto facts
A-B
C-Ch
Cl-D
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Fo-Gra
Gre-M
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Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Alternative fuel Most alternative fuels come from renewable energy sources and have little negative impact on the environment. Alternative fuels include biodiesel, hydrogen, and stored electricity.
Antibiotic free Meat that comes from animals not treated with antibiotics or hormones.
Biodegradable By U.S. government definition, 60 percent to 70 percent of a product's ingredients must be able to break down and return to the environment within 28 days.
Biodiesel Alternative fuels used in cars and trucks created from oils such as soybean oil or vegetable oil.
Biodiversity Diversity in an environment based upon the number of plants and animals that exist.
Black water Sewage water that has come in contact with human waste. Black water is not recirculated as drinking water.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Carbon buying/offsetting Compensating for the carbon you release by financially supporting activities that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere in the world, like wind energy initiatives.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) Capturing carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, storing it and releasing it into the atmosphere when it is needed in the future. There are few CCS facilities in the world currently.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) One of the basic greenhouse gases. It is produced by plants and animals but also by burning wood and fossil fuels. Too much in the atmosphere can contribute to global warming.
Carbon fluorescent lamp (CFL) Fluorescent light bulbs that save energy by emitting less heat than normal incandescent light bulbs. They are slightly more expensive but last longer and require less energy. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury and should be recycled properly.
Carbon footprint The amount of carbon dioxide emitted as part of an individual's or business's everyday life. They are usually measured in tons of carbon dioxide.
Carbon neutral A balance of the amount of carbon dioxide released with the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Artificially created chemical compounds commonly used in refrigeration and aerosol cans that damage the ozone layer.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Clean fuel Fuels that have lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional fuels such as gasoline and diesel.
Clean vehicles Cars, trucks, vans and SUVs with special equipment to burn biofuels, use clean fuel, hydrogen or a hybrid of battery and fuel-power rather than gasoline or diesel.
Climate change A regional change in temperature and weather patterns.
Closed-loop recycling A type of recycling in which a recyclable packaging items used, discarded, captured and recycled into a new product.
Compost A mixture of organic material, such as table scraps, broken down by microorganisms and reused as fertilizer.
Conservation The protection and preservation of natural resources to ensure they are not abused.
Daylighting The practice of using natural light rather than electric light in ordinary daily activities. Buildings constructed with daylighting in mind have strategically placed windows and reflective surfaces to maximize daylight.
Downcycling When materials are recycled into a product of lesser quality. For instance, some plastics are recycled into lower-grade plastics.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

E85 fuel An alternative fuel of 85-percent alcohol and 15-percent gasoline, which burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel.
Eco-friendly Any practice or product minimally harmful to the environment. Recycling or driving clean vehicles are examples.
Ecosystem The complex community created when several types of organisms live in the same environment.
Ecovillage/Ecocity A community completely socially, economically and ecologically sustainable with little outside assistance.
Energy conservation The practice of saving energy and using energy more efficiently. Use of alternative energy sourcesis a basic example.
Energy Star Initiative between U.S. government agencies that establishes consumer guidelines to ensure products are energy efficient and eco-friendly.
Ethanol An alcohol-based, clean-burning biofuel. A common type is E85.
Fair trade Products and services from companies that consider sustainability, human rights and world hunger problems in the production of goods.
Flat pack Sending goods, especially furniture, in multiple, disassembled pieces so the shipping boxes can be sent more efficiently, decreasing the environmental impact of shipping.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Fossil fuels Fuels such as coal, oil or natural gas that are formed in the earth from plant and animal remains. When most fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released.
Free range Livestock and poultry not confined to pens or barns and allowed to roam free. Free range food labels refer to the meat and products from free range animals, or the practice of free range farming.
Fuel efficiency A measure of how efficiency a vehicle burns fuel. Fuel efficiency is government-regulated and usually measured in miles per gallon (MPG), energy impact scores, greenhouse gas scores and air pollution scores.
Genetically modified organism (GMO) Any living organism that's DNA has been modified. Some plants and animals are genetically modified to increase their food yield.
Global warming An increase in the temperature's at the Earth's surface as well as in the oceans caused by an increased amount of greenhouse gases.
Grain-fed A diet for cattle that consists primarily of grains, such as hay, corn and soy.
Grass-fed A diet for cattle that consists of only grass from a pasture.
Gray water Water used in domestic processes like dishwashing, bathing and laundry. Gray water is generally not recycled for human consumption.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Green transit When mass transit organizations engage in green practices, such as using clean fuel or solar power.
Greenhouse effect The warming of the Earth's surface caused by the presence of greenhouse gases and water vapor in the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gas Several gas compounds including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, ozone, CFCs and water vapor that exist in the Earth's atmosphere. If too many are released via pollution, the planet will warm.
Greenwashing The act of misleading consumers about the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.
Hormone free Livestock and poultry not treated by any artificial hormones. This can also refer to the food product labels that come from such animals.
Hybrid vehicle A vehicle that runs on a combination of power sources. Most hybrid vehicles are powered by fuel such as gasoline or diesel and a battery or hydrogen cell.
Hydrogen vehicles Use hydrogen as the main power source. In some cars, the hydrogen is burned directly, while in others, the hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to power an electric motor.
Locally grown Produce, meat and other foods grown or raised in close proximity to the area or region in which they are consumed.
Miles per gallon (MPG) The primary way in which a vehicle's fuel efficiency is measured. The U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA calculate MPGs for both city and highway driving.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Natural food Foods produced without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, additives, preservatives, growth hormones, radiation, antibiotics or genetic modification.
Natural remedies Cures and remedies for common, minor illnesses and ailments that come from the earth, without assistance from modern medicine.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) A basic greenhouse gas found naturally in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide is also produced by bacteria and can come from cultivating soil and the use of some fertilizers.
Non-renewable energy Energy taken from sources that cannot be replaced or renewed. Fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas are chief sources of non-renewable energy.
Off-grid living A lifestyle where people do everything without any electricity or artificial power.
Organic Products and food produced without artificial processes or products.
Outgassing The slow release of harmful gases trapped, frozen or absorbed by some material. Some products covered in certain paints, varnishes and stains are susceptible to outgassing.
Ozone gas A greenhouse gas that occurs naturally in the atmosphere. Ozone can also be created as a result of industrial processes and pollution.
Ozone hole A area in the atmosphere where the ozone layer has decayed or disappeared. Pollution and the release of gasses such as CFCs are the leading causes of the ozone hole.
Ozone layer A layer of the atmosphere that contains high levels of ozone gas. The ozone layer helps absorb the sun's rays, regulating the temperature on Earth.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Pollution When water, air or land becomes dirty and filled with contaminants. Humans are the main source of pollution, but some naturally-occurring pollution is possible.
Post-consumer recycling Recycling products, such as paper and plastic, that consumers have used.
Pre-consumer recycling Recycling material that would ordinarily be discarded before consumer use. Scraps, trimming and excess products are generally fit for pre-consumer recycling.
Recycling The process of reconditioning old materials into new products to prevent excessive waste and reduce the use of energy, water and natural resources.
Renewable energy Energy taken from sources that can be replaced or renewed.
Repurpose Converting old material into something new and different.
Shade grown A method for growing plants, especially coffee beans. Shade grown plants take longer to ripen and may have more rich flavors.
Solar energy Using the heat from the sun as an energy source. Solar energy is one of the main renewable energy sources.
Stored electricity Energy or electricity that is stored and saved for later. The energy stored in a battery cell of a hybrid car is a good example of stored electricity.
Sustainable Any process that can be maintained at a certain level for long periods of time.
Sustainable living A lifestyle that can be maintained for long periods of time with minimal negative impact on the environment.

Green Glossary

New to being green? Find out what words mean.

Tonnes One metric ton. Also 1,000 kg or about 2,205 lbs. Carbon dioxide is commonly measured in tonnes.
Upcycling The reuse of waste materials to create more useful products.
Vampire appliances Appliances, chargers or other electronics equipment that consume energy, even when not in use. Cell phone chargers and microwaves are some of the most common vampire appliances.
Vegan A person who does not consume or use any animal products of any kind.
Vegetarian A person who does not eat any meat products, but does usually eat dairy products, eggs and sometimes fish.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Gases emitted from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short-term and long-term adverse health effects.
Xeriscaping Gardening in such a way the garden will need minimal water. Gardeners can create xeriscapes by using plants and flowers that require little water and planting similar plants near each other.