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Petrochemicals

Chemical products derived from petroleum, used to make plastics, fertilizers, and other industrial goods.

Ethylene

The most commercially produced organic compound used to make plastics, paints, alcohols, and rubbers.

Propylene

A petrochemical used to make paints, textiles, furniture, pharmaceuticals, and food packaging, known for being hard to recycle.

Benzene

A petrochemical used to produce dyes, pesticides, and detergents.

Methanol

A chemical used in building construction and thermal insulation.

Environmental Injustice

The unfair distribution of environmental risks and benefits, often affecting marginalized communities more severely.

Chemical Endocrine Disruptors

Chemicals that interfere with hormone systems, often present in trace quantities, defying traditional toxicological thresholds.

Green New Deal

A proposed policy framework aimed at addressing climate change while promoting social and economic justice.

Climate Anxiety

The distress caused by the awareness of climate change and its potential impacts.

Spheres of Influence

The different levels at which individuals can exert influence on climate issues, including personal, local, and global spheres.

Greenhouse Effect

The process by which certain gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat, leading to an increase in global temperatures.

Ozone Depletion

The reduction of the ozone layer caused by chemicals that allow more harmful solar radiation to reach the Earth's surface.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN body that assesses scientific knowledge on climate change to inform policy.

COP meetings

Conferences of the Parties where representatives from countries negotiate actions to address climate change.

Intersectional Environmentalism

A form of environmentalism that recognizes the connections between social justice issues and environmental issues.

Ecological Economics

A field that examines the relationship between ecological and economic systems, emphasizing sustainability and social justice.

Capitalism

An economic system where private individuals or businesses own the means of production and operate for profit.

Colonialism

The practice of acquiring and maintaining control over indigenous lands and peoples, often displacing them.