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Goals

Envisioned idea for a desired future outcome/result to commit to and achieve.

Objectives

Desired outcome or specific aspect of a goal, impact-oriented, over time.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

17 global goals, 169 targets, 232 indicators outlined in "Transforming Our World:The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

SDG “Wedding Cake”

Refers to the three-tiered structure of the SDGs - Economy (top), society, planet.

Biosphere

The physical and chemical factors forming the life zone of living matter on Earth, interconnected with all other aspects of the planet.

Economic

Profitable business that is free of corruption and overwhelming debts.

Social

Focuses on creating equity, taking care of people, fair wages, safe conditions, etc.

Environmental

Involves Earth care, healthy ecosystems, diversity, and enough for wild survival.

Stakeholder

Person, group, or organization that has an interest or concerns in an issue, such as economic, political, or scientific.

Air Pollution

Refers to the changes in atmosphere chemistry that pose a serious threat to human and ecological health.

Sustainable Business Practices

Business practices that are economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally friendly.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Involves self-regulation and contributing to society and the environment.

Triple Bottom Line

Business model of sustainability focusing on people, profit, and planet.

Corporate Sustainability

Business approach emphasizing transparency, long-term stakeholder value, and responsible practices.

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

A sustainable design approach that assesses the lifetime inventory of energy, material, social justice, and environmental impacts of a product or service.

Total Economic Value (TEV)

The sum of value and non-value uses for the economic evaluation of natural resources.

Greenwashing

Misleading advertising where a company or product is claimed to be environmentally friendly.

Complex Adaptive System

Change is mitigated by various facets within the system, and systems thinking is used to understand the connection between humanity and the environment.

Sustainability

Involves four principles to ensure the effective nested dependency model, focusing on factors like substance extraction, waste production, planet degradation rate, and conditions undermining people's capacity to meet their needs.

Replacement Rate

Compares the resources available based on human consumption versus natural replacement.

Equilibrium

Refers to using resources at a rate that allows natural systems to remain steady and replenished.

Excessive Consumption

Occurs when resources are removed faster than they can be naturally replenished, leading to resource depletion.

Planetary Boundaries

Biophysical thresholds that define safe operating limits for the environment.

Infrastructure

Basic physical and organizational structures and facilities of society, essential for various functions like transportation and energy.

Green Infrastructure

Utilizes or mimics nature to provide services like managing stormwater runoff.

Air Quality

Refers to the health impacts of air on humans, including respiratory issues and carcinogenic effects.

Climate Change

Involves global warming, anthropogenic climate forcing, and measures like mitigation and adaptation to address environmental changes.

Deciduous

Broad-leaf angiosperms that lose their leaves each year, some bear fruit.

Hardwood

Mostly deciduous lumber, slower-growing, complex and dense.

Coniferous

Needle-leaf gymnosperms with seeds in cones.

Softwood

Mostly coniferous lumber, fast-growing, less dense.

Mountain Pine Beetle

Destructive impact on forests, controlled by extremely cold winters.

Forest Fire

Natural or anthropogenic wildfire with various causes.

Fragmentation

Breaking a contiguous region impacting wildlife.

Deforestation

Clearing forests due to population growth and resource demand.

Silviculture

Managing forests for timber production.

Annual Allowable Cut (AAC)

Permissible long-term forest yield metric.

Forest Transition Theory

Forest rehabilitation if left undisturbed.

Sustainable Forestry

Managing forests for ongoing resources.

Selective Logging

Harvesting based on tree age or species.

Forestland Tenure Security

Ownership promoting sustainable forest management.

Independent Certification

Identifying sustainable timber products with logos.

Poaching

Illegal hunting threatening wildlife populations.

Environmental Crime

Illegal acts harming the environment.

Defaunation

Extinction of species impacting ecosystems.

Wildlife Tourism

Economic opportunity with non-consumptive interactions.

Wildlife Trafficking

Commerce of non-domesticated species.

CITES

Treaty to regulate international wildlife trade.

Stewardship

Responsible management of natural resources.

Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM)

Empowering local people for conservation.

Communal Conservancy

Self-governing entities for conservation.

Midden

Ancient garbage heaps preserving historical data.

Waste

Unwanted matter with no further use.

Agricultural Waste

Residues unsuitable for profit.

Industrial Solid Waste

Manufacturing remnants.

Hazardous Waste

Chemical substances posing risks.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Garbage from various sources.

Waste Management

Global solid waste handling practices.

Degradable Materials

Components of disposed MSW.

Textiles

Consumer movement impacting clothing purchases.

Glass

Recyclable material with various disposal methods.

Metal

Recyclable material with specific disposal methods.

Construction Materials

Offcuts and urban growth remnants.

Plastics

Petroleum-based materials causing environmental pollution.

Polluter Pays Principle

Responsibility for environmental cleanup.

Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda

Policy to manage plastic waste.

Sustainable Waste Management

Minimizing waste disposal.

Water

Essential substance for life with various forms and cycles.

Sanitization

Cleaning and disinfecting areas or items.

Waterborne Illness

Diseases caused by contaminated water.

Pathogenic Pollutant

Biological pathogens in water causing diseases.

Chemical Pollution

Toxic materials harming water bodies.

Thermal Pollution

Water degradation due to temperature changes.

Water Purification

Process to remove impurities from water.

Potable

Safe and drinkable water.

Human Waste Management

Sanitization of human excreta.

Smart Irrigation

Precision irrigation techniques.

Water-Energy Nexus

Interconnection between water and energy.

Commercialization

Managing water for financial gain.

Privatization

Private control of public water supplies.

Remunicipalization

Returning water control to local authorities.

Canada Water Act (1970)

Legislation for water conservation.

Salinization

Freshwater contamination with salt.

Desalination

Removing minerals from seawater.

Grey Water Reclamation

Reusing bathwater for irrigation.

Sustainable Sanitation

Long-term recovery and reuse of waste.

Soil

Living system essential for plant growth and ecosystem health.

Loam

Balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay.

Soil Porosity

Available pore space within soil.

Topsoil

Rich organic layer supporting plant growth.

Humus

Nutrient-rich material from decomposed plant matter.

Soil Fertility

Soil's ability to sustain plant growth.

Soil Colloid

Tiny particles in soil solution.

Cation-Exchange Capacity (CEC)

Measure of soil fertility.

Estuaries

Biodiverse coastal areas where rivers meet oceans.

Wetlands

Water-covered land areas supporting diverse ecosystems.

Soil Degradation

Damage to soil quality impacting ecosystems.

Desertification

Land degradation in arid areas.

Ecosystem Approach

Science-based land management mimicking nature.

Sustainable Pasture

Grazing lands managed sustainably.