Page 404 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

Glossary 379

Environmentally preferable Superior to comparable products or services in
terms of environmental footprint. Analogous terms include environmentally
friendly, environmentally benign, and green.
Ethanol The most widely used biofuel today; ethanol is an alcohol that can
be produced by converting starch from crops into sugars and fermenting the
sugars with microbes.
Exergy A thermodynamic measure of available energy that takes into
account energy quality.
Financial performance The performance of a corporation over time as
measured by selected financial indicators, typically measuring the return.
Fossil fuel A general term for combustible hydrocarbon deposits of bio-
logical origin, including coal, oil, natural gas, and oil shale.
Genetic engineering Modification of organisms, either plants or animals,
by transfer of genes from other species into their genetic material. Concerns
about genetic engineering include the possibility of uncontrolled gene
transfer to non-target species, emergence of unintended side effects, as well
as ethical concerns about gene manipulation.
Global warming Gradual increase in average temperatures at the earth’s
surface, believed to result from the “greenhouse effect” due to increased
atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other gases.

Green chemistry Development of chemical products and chemical reactions
that are inherently benign in terms of environmental impacts. Also known
as “sustainable chemistry.”
Green marketing The analysis of market opportunities related to product
environmental performance and positioning of products to address those
opportunities.
Green purchasing A business practice whereby purchasing agents in busi -
ness or government evaluate products and services based upon selected
environmental performance attributes.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) A gaseous substance that contributes to the green-
house effect, i.e., global warming. The most abundant greenhouse gas is
carbon dioxide, but other gases released by human activities have significant
global warming potential, including methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated
gases.
Habitat The environment or ecosystem where a plant or animal naturally
or normally lives and grows.
Hazard A material or condition whose presence may cause harm to humans,
wildlife, or property. Examples of hazards include flammable, explosive,
corrosive, or toxic chemicals, as well as heat, noise, radiation, and biological
agents. The effects of exposure to hazards may be acute or chronic.
Hazardous waste A material which is potentially harmful to people or the
environment because of its toxic, poisonous, explosive, corrosive, flammable,
infectious characteristics.