Sustainability Final Definitions

Global Warming 

The long term increase in Earth’s average temperature. 

Radiative Forcing

The ways to change Earth’s energy balance/budget. Includes GHG’s, solar variation, orbital variation, aerosols, land use, volcanoes, and the ozone layer.

Climate Change

The long term change in Earth’s climate, which includes temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, pressure, etc.

Weather

Short-term changes to local atmosphere conditions like temperature, humidity, wind, and cloudover. These changes occur within minutes, hours, and days. 

Climate

Long-term changes of variables such as temperature, humidity, and cloudover. It is measured in intervals of 30 years or longer.

Mitigation

Reduction of the source of CO2 going into the atmosphere, usually by adding carbon sinks.

Adaptation

Seeking to lower the risks that exist from the climate change currently happening, and includes preparation against effects of climate change.

450 ppm of CO2

Refers to 450 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. Estimated to be the limit amount of CO2 in the atmosphere the Earth can take without starting severe/rapid climate change.

Carbon Bathtub

Diagram with faucet, tub, and drain. The faucet is the emmissions that we put into the atmosphere. The tub is the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere at the moment. The drain refers to carbon sinks, and how they take carbon out of the atmosphere. 

Common Pool Resource

A system of shared natural or human-made resources from which exclusion is difficult or costly. The overuse of such a resource by one user can decrease resource benefits for other users.

Hardin’s Commons Ideas

Private ownership and government intervention. More likely to work on large scale operations.

Challenges include lack of morals, no global authority, and can’t privatize certain resources. 

Ostrom’s Commons Ideas

Collective discussion, trusting everyone and not taking more for oneself as a result. More likely to work on small scale operations.

Challenges include distrust naturally, can’t work on a global scale, too hard for everyone to talk. 

Limited Liability

Corporate Personhood

Shareholder Primacy

Dark Money

Social Norm

Behavior influenced by societal expectations, part of a larger social structure, can form group identities.

Ancient Brain/Boiling Frog

The phenomenon where a frog is placed in water that slowly boils, how it doesn’t feel the change and slowly gets boiled alive, opposed to if it were to be put in instantly boiled water, it would hop out. This is thought to be how our brains are programmed, slow change isn’t recognized in our brains as danger. 

Confirmation Bias

When one seeks out information that validates ones current beliefs, and casting out information that conflicts with them. This can lead to echo chambers.

GDP

Stands for Gross Domestic Product. It measures the dollar value of goods/services produced in an economy, or money changing hands. 

GPI

Stands for Genuine Progress Indicator. It measures many different variables, both good and bad, to try and create a sum value that measures quality of life and progress. Examples of what is measured include charity, pollution, crime, health.

Gross National Happiness Index (GNHI)

Measures the quality of life of wherever uses it, and includes 9 domains that not only measure economic factors, but others that matter, like the health of the citizens and social things like free time.

B-Corp/Benefit Corp Movement 

Corporations that commit to making material-positive impacts on society and their social/env. mission. Alternate from normal corps, focus isn’t just on whatever makes shareholders the most money. Focuses on giving back.