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organic agriculture

agro-ecosystem production systems approach to farming less fertilizer, fuel consumption, and better at soil and carbon preservation enhanced ecosystem service, leguminous cover crops used by farmers enrich and stabilize yields near conventional practice, and may exceed in drought years often higher cost makes it inaccessible to poorer consumers/communities

transformation –

radical and pervasive reorganization of a social-ecological system greater investment up-front communal conservancies nature-based infrastructure green jobs

liability

being responsible under law, e.g., for environmental and health damages implementation barriers global conflicts

short-haul airline flight ban

prohibition by government on airline travel based on distance most anthropogenic GHG carbon intensive form of transportation per person
e.g., France (distance <2.5 h/train), Austria (distance <350 kilometres)

Ban

official or legal prohibition, e.g., stopping unsustainable and/or eco-harmful practices

renewable energy certificate (REC)

based on the amount of energy produced, can be traded

Green Bond

high-quality, fixed-income investments for investors

subsidy

government granted economic relief to keep a commodity/service price low change subsidy policy by funding sensible transition to safe, sustainable, product/process

environmental learning

individuals explore issues and engage in problem solving of environmental science and sustainability integrated with societal and economic fields

buzzwords

overused terms lose meaning or create multiple meanings e.g., “sustainability,” “eco-friendly,” “green”

jargon

complex insider (i.e., scientific) language, which excludes a general audience

environmental communication (EC)

art, skill, field of science disseminating information, key principles including CARE (complexity, aesthetics, responsibility, ethics)

environmental communication teaching (ECT) – processes and strategies
sustainability communication – sector related messaging, e.g.: environmental science (in field),

government goals and projects, corporate responsibility, public awareness and action foundations of sustainability communications (business and fashion playbooks)

- choose your audience (e.g., point of view or perspective)
- simple, clear, transparent, and achievable (e.g., local, timeline) goal - science-supported claims in the vernacular
- available, compelling, and educational format

avoid greenwashing (to overcome current distrust) and the use of

protest

communication en masse, intimidate or appeal to emotions of decision makers
“The environmental movement was ignited by a spark from a writer’s pen, or more specifically and accurately, Rachel Carson’s typewriter.” Flor (2004). Environmental Communication

activism

practice, people using their influence to sway government policy/decisions

marine mining

abiotic, aggregates (e.g., sand/gravel for concrete and manufactured stone) shallow-water mining - continental shelf mining, includes rare earth elements, fossil fuels deep sea mining - critical minerals, includes gold, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, and zinc

serial depletion

“fishing down the food web” (prey switch) reduces fishing opportunities shift from a food source to a next most energy efficient/profitable catch e.g., fishing a less desirable stock when a target stock depletes, with ecosystem impacts

seafood

biotic, animal and “vegetable” life, globally 75-90% of stocks depleted/overfished

great Pacific garbage patch

current-accumulated floating trash in Pacific Ocean’s centre

gyre

large system of rotating ocean current, i.e., north/south Pacific/Atlantic, and Indian

Gulf Stream

large ocean current from Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic/Arctic - moves warm water and air currents northward, toward Arctic therefore, United Kingdom milder than Alberta climate in similar northern latitude - carries nutrients from the tropics, essential geochemical service

current

river-like dynamic flows of saline waters that circulate the globe

microplastic

especially, nets, urban waste

ocean

large body, saline water (~71% of Earth’s surface), sink for fresh surface waters ocean acidification - gas exchange, associated with rising CO2 levels, coral reef bleaching chemical pollution - toxins (includes polychlorinated biphenyls and mercury) storm drains, point-source effluent/sewage, industrial waste agricultural and industrial runoff, non-point source physical garbage - waste dump, low density

coast

shoreline and storm surge land area, at high risk of degradation: bulk of the world’s populations (37% within 100 km of coast, UN), destruction of coastal, wetland, estuary, and marine habitat, i.e., use conversion, paved

organic food certification

seal or certificate of growing/handling practice meeting a standard e.g., - techniques that manage and create healthy soil but... - raises the question of hydroponic (i.e., no soil) production as included?

fair trade certification

guarantee fair wages, safe labour conditions, banning child labour some foods can only be grown in certain geographic regions, coffee, chocolate, bananas, low price, can lead to the exploitation of workers, but only ‘fair’ if funds reach the farmer

locavore (100 mile diet)

food movement, buying food close to where it is produced “local trap” that it is more ecological and sustainable (especially around large cities)

farm-to-table

restaurant meals from local growers

permaculture

growing perennial crops that are permanently in cultivation, nature based, allows deep roots, drought and pest resistance

community-supported agriculture (CSA)

farmer offers public shares (for seasonal allotment)

food desert

urban/rural areas without access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food sources in developing and developed countries

grass/finished beef

cattle fed (or allowed to forage) on grass their entire life, or as end stage has a higher carbon footprint than feedlot beef, but utilizes forage (i.e., grain varieties humans don’t consume), waste is an auxiliary input

environmental farm plan

to be aware of and manage impacts, approval/licence required, CAN shared federal/provincial oversight and may also include the nutrients in feed

feedlot

animal feeding operation and/or intensive animal farming to increase animal fat especially beef cattle, but may also be swine, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc. economic rather than animal health advantage, can include antibiotics, hormones, etc.

open source GMO

shared and made freely available (bypass, or undermine corporate control) permit/encourage seed saving

genetically modified organism (GMO)

life that has DNA altered using genetic engineering thus far, evidence of negative impacts on human health are not reported, but skepticism SDG-15-6 share genetic resources promote fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources

yield

crop production per unit area enhanced by fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation on unarable lands especially

industrialized agriculture

large-scale, intensification of crops (often implies animals too) typically with routine chemical use, (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides), genetic modification, etc.
can reduce genetic diversity of crop species and/or resiliency to pests, disease, or climate shift

irrigation (watering)

controlled amount of artificial crop hydration, used for over 5000 y

agriculture

cultures

green hydrogen

electrolysis of water using renewable energy

blue hydrogen

produced from hydrocarbons (methane or coal) but offset by a matching carbon capture and sequestration

grey hydrogen

produced from hydrocarbons (methane or coal)

hydrogen fuel cells

chemical, hydrogen (or other fuel), cleanly/efficiently produce electricity promising form of renewable energy, but are criticized because: it takes considerable energy, which is largely currently provided by fossil fuels

ground energy

exchange of heat with underground by pipes and fans

geothermal energy

volcanic activity and groundwater only certain sites in the world, depends on drilling technologies and start-up costs

biogas

biogenic methane which is generated in landfills and from animal waste

biomass

renewable organic material, currently/mainly from plants but also animal/food scrap

bird strikes

impact wildlife, like birds and bats, mainly hit by moving blades

wind farm

series of wind mills, best wind locations are in higher elevations and offshore

solar power

direct conversion at an atomic level of solar radiation into electricity
- large solar farms can have impacts on important habitat and biodiversity, arable soil

kinetic energy and potential energy

– energy of motion
– has the potential to do work

hydroelectric (hydropower)

convert water movement electricity with high efficiency zero emissions when in use (one of the cleanest renewable sources of energy)
may last a very long time if done properly, currently most popular renewable environmental impacts are not significant, displacement of people is a greater issue

renewable energy

derived from a source that is replenished at a higher rate than consumed (some refer to as an “alternative” energy -- only in relation to current sources of energy)
e.g., solar, geothermal, hydropower, wood, biofuels, wind

uranium

non-renewable, concerns of depletion and safety (i.e., radioactive waste)

nuclear fusion

forces together hydrogen ions into helium, releases vast energies (in stars)

nuclear fission

uranium for heat, radioactive by-products, releases energy (by humans) efficient energy independence for areas lacking fossil fuel deposits, reduced emissions,

nuclear energy production

electrical power from fission (bombarded heavy elements)

fugitive source

non-ducted airborne emission of pollutions
- dust from agricultural tilling operations spreading into the air
- pipeline leaking oil into a wetland

natural gas

gaseous hydrocarbon, typically methane (CH4) and other compounds cleanest, less than 10% of the carbon from burning oil, 5% of coal

oil sands

unconventional petroleum, deposit of sands mixed with bituminous hydrocarbon Alberta’s environmental impacts include:
- water pollution in communities downstream
- Canada’s largest source of GHG CO2 emissions

- migratory bird mortality and disrupted caribou migration - damaging fluvial habitats

peak oil

concept, the date of maximum production after which reserves begin to decline, measure of oil remaining, varies because of use change and technology/innovation increase, finds of new reserves, improve extraction and use efficiency
note: “we will run out of oil before the next century”

Transmountain pipeline

controversial transportation system, bought by CAN - disagreement British Columbia and Alberta
- disagreement indigenous groups and the proponent (Kinder-Morgan)

hydrofracturing (fracking)

technology for extraction of fossil fuels from shales environmentally risky
- large quantities of water needed (some of which cleaned/recycled on site)
- produce toxic materials (e.g., VOC, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors)
- proprietary use of chemicals, danger so does not meet criteria for sustainability
- ocean drilling and fossil fuel extraction has potential to impact a larger ecosystem

secondary recovery

injects water to bring more oil to the surface, also disposes of waste water from primary recovery. (~20% of a deposit) enhanced recovery – injects steam, CO2, or propane into a secondary well enhances flow out of primary well (~60% of a deposit)

primary recovery

underground pressure pumps crude oil to the surface through wells drilled in impermeable rocks into the reservoir (~10% of a deposit)

recovery

drilling, plus technologies to free-up and make mobile gas and liquid hydrocarbons

petroleum (oil)

natural, geologic deposit, liquid hydrocarbon mixture

crude oil

petroleum, remnant of marine and aquatic organisms sold by barrel (~160 L), the majority of which is refined into gasoline

lignite

youngest, lowest quality energy sub-bitumous bitumous, anthracite – most mature, highest energy yiel

contour strip mining

follows geologic deposit bed/seam to extract resources release selenium into water, can be harmful to fish/humans in large amount

coal

geologic/sedimentary deposit predominantly of a combustible carbon,

hydrocarbon

bound compounds of hydrogen and carbon

fossil fuel

geological, buried combustible organic carbon-energy (oil, coal, natural gas) reservoir/sink for global carbon which when burned is released as carbon dioxide (CO2)

non-renewable energy

sources subject to limitations technologies for extraction, but increased health and environmental risk

energy

heat and/or electricity that can do work, reduce human effort

conflict minerals

mined in where the sale of minerals is used to fund armed conflict e.g., conflict diamonds mining solutions - decreasing demand - recycling minerals (e.g., metals used for electronics)

gold smelting

extracting gold from rock ore and impurities illegal “backyard operations” poisoning local water sources with heavy metals zinc, copper, silver, iron, arsenic, lead, mercury, petroleum byproducts, acids, cyanide

refining

remove impurities or unwanted elements from a raw resource

rare earth elements (REE)

key components in many electronic devices and industrial use China is the current largest miner/producer

minerals

building-block solid, inorganic material that naturally composes Earth’s crust

rock

typically an aggregate of different minerals mining of sand and gravel is the most abundant and ubiquitous of mining operations

land restoration

process, halt disturbance, rehabilitate land, empower local stakeholders diverse approaches that include soil conservation and reforestation to enhance biodiversity, restore ecosystem services, and mitigate impacts

sustainable pasture

grazing lands for animals managed by the ecosystem approach

soil degradation

damage, reduction, and destruction (e.g., erosion, organic matter loss, salinization, nutrient depletion, compaction, reduced biological activity, chemical toxicity) rganic and conservation approaches can conserve and even restore soil

desertification

 marginal areas (arid and semi-arid land) become drier, less productive, e.g., grasslands or shrublands becomes infertile, and uneconomic

excess/rapid sedimentation

unprotected soils and linear surface disturbance (e.g., roads), increases particles and deposition rate in a water body, impacts aquatic habitats/organisms

ecosystem approach

science-based, mimic of nature, integrated land management approach

wetlands

land area where water covers soil all year, biodiverse and fertile ecosystem ecological functions/services of estuaries and wetlands include: sponge for rainfall, slow release thereafter and habitat for almost half (40%) of all living species

estuaries

coastal area where fresh-water river meets ocean, biodiverse and fertile ecosystem

cation-exchange capacity (CEC)

measure of soil fertility

soil colloid

tiny particles of clay or organic matter (humus) suspended in soil solution

soil fertility

ability of soil to sustain plants; billions of dollars expended to improve conditions

soil

living system, essential resource, fertility, regulates water and nutrients, filter, buffer non-renewable in human lifespan (100 to 400 y for 1 cm of topsoil development)

loam

balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay that is beneficial to plant growth

soil porosity

available pore space within soil, filled with air, gasses, or water

topsoil

darker, mainly rich organics

humus

dark colour, nutrient-rich mixture formed from fully decomposed plant material

sustainable sanitation

system of long-term recovery, reuse

grey water reclamation

water recovery process, bath and sink waters to irrigate gardens increasing access to water e.g., Hippo Water Roller Project, and playground equipment pumps