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 "Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" - too many and hard to remember

SDG “Wedding Cake” - Economy (top), society, planet

biosphere – physical and chemical factors forming life zone of living matter on Earth (animals, plants, bacteria, etc. in soil, water, air, …), therefore, interconnected with all other aspects of the planet (atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere)

economic – profitable business that is free of corruption and overwhelming debts

social – creating equity, taking care of people, fair wages, safe conditions, etc.

environmental – Earth care, healthy ecosystems, diversity, enough for wild survival

stakeholder – person, group, organization that has interest or concerns in an issue e.g., economic, political, scientific

air pollution – atmosphere chemistry change, a serious threat to human and ecological health, compounds including oxides (carbon, nitrogen, sulphur), particulates, ozone, volatile organics

sustainable business practices – A business practice that is economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally friendly.(despite any regulation, i.e., not due to government policy/enforcement)

corporate social responsibility (CSR) – self-regulation, contribute to society and environment

triple bottom line – business model of sustainability, (people, profit, planet)

3 E's (equity, economy, environment) are connected (overlap) to be sustainable

corporate sustainability – business approach, transparency and long-term stakeholder value, less waste, more responsible, more equitable,
managing a business focused on ethical, social, environmental, cultural, and economic aspects, participatory model of development, identify and include corporate stakeholders

life cycle analysis (LCA, life cycle assessment) – the sustainable design part of systems thinking, lifetime inventory of energy, material, social justice, environment for a good or service eco-balance or “cradle-to-grave” analysis. (e.g., improve dryer efficiency by making the washer more efficient at ringing go water)

total economic value (TEV) – concept, a sum of the value and non-value uses for economic evaluation of natural resources (real values, the subjective values)

i.e., total economic value = [actual use value + option (willing to pay) value] + [existence value]

greenwashing – misleading advertising, company/product claimed environmentally friendly

Clean Air Acts (Europe, Canada 1979, and United States of America): - defined marketable permits for industry
- are based on “polluter pays” principle
- contain tougher exhaust standards

- are some of the first environmentally related legislation

criteria pollutants – most common, harmful to human health (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, ozone, and lead )

carbon monoxide (CO) – toxic gas from incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons
ozone (O3) – three-atom oxygen molecule, destructive impact on many products/health -

particulate matter (PM) – tiny pieces of solids or liquids, irritant to harmful if inhaled

hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) – carcinogen, birth defects, or adverse environmental effects e.g., benzene in gasoline, perchloroethylene emitted from dry cleaning facilities, asbestos

heavy metals – common air pollutant emitted mainly by industrial activity e.g., cadmium, arsenic, mercury, lead

carbon tax – money raised by government to motivate a switch to carbon-free energy

zero-emissions tax credits (ZETCs) – tax cut for zero emission utility plants, lower energy bills

creating too many credits (weak) while not doing much good (e.g., reduce carbon emissions)

carbon offset – purchase an action that removes greenhouse gas from the air,

not policed, may be negative market forces, possible government sanctions

ozone – occurs as both naturally-derived protective gas. Good - UV protection and bad - Secondary pollutant in the troposphere,

environmental ethics – philosophy of extending consideration to non-human entities. A universally applied single environmental ethic for all cultures and geographic settings “cannot be formulated.”

ecocentric (biocentric) – value of non-human nature, often more important than people research focus considers the planet (all creatures) as having as much right to exist as humans, organisms can bring about change, can change humans, and are a significant consideration

nature-based solutions (NbS) – natural processes as solutions to societal challenges, choose ecosystem, landscape, and ecological functions to achieve sustainable objectives through protection, management, and restoration of nature

biomimicry – innovation or design that mimics nature
e.g., termite mound-like home cooling or permeable paving image: surface O3 aeroqual

transcendentalism – religious and philosophical movement, writers and philosophers, unity of all creation, the innate goodness of humanity, intellectual,
spiritual connection to nature, nature viewed as a teacher, awe inspiring force
e.g., Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Margaret Fuller, Herman Melville, ...

preservationist perspective – nature as sacred, humans as intruders John Muir (1892). Sierra Club, to protect Yosemite National Park area. (protecting our environment, communities, and future)

conservationist movement – value of nature to meet human needs, began in Europe
“multiple use” approach – conservation encouraging management for maximum potential outdoor recreation (hunting fishing), watershed protection, protection of timber

environmental ethic movement – protection of nature for its intrinsic value

“land ethic,” “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”

environmental activism – 1960s to 1970s environmental issues response Wendell Berry, David Bauer, Paul Ehrlich, James Lovelock, Edward Abbey 1970 first Earth Day
creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) U.S.A.

Clean Air Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Wilderness Act United Nations (UN)

non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – agency independent from government many established in the early 19th century

environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) – advocacy and action, push for policy, local to international projects, influence people and the environment greater proportion arise from the 1950s to 1990s

sustainable development – meeting the needs of society today, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (1987, UN, Brundtland Commission Report) focused on human rights, population, social and economic development, and environment

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to achieve by 2015
- eradicate extreme poverty (much success) and hunger
- universal primary education

- gender equality and empower women
- reduce child mortality
- improve maternal health
- combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases - ensure environmental sustainability

- develop a global partnership for development

The UN Sustainable Development Goals, post-2015 international development

ecological footprint – quantitative, human demand on nature,
specific or generalized, at various scales
Earth overshoot day – July 29, 2021, used more materials than Earth produced in a year

environment – planetary conditions, for humans often referred to as liveable areas natural resources – assets, raw materials for consumption or economic production

biotic – of life, living things or organic matter, e.g., plant and animal products, (fossil fuels?) abiotic – of inorganic (i.e., non-living origin) air, water, minerals (e.g., salts, metals), (light?)

resource cycles – matter moves about Earth and in biology (neither created nor destroyed) temporal scale – determines rate of resource recovery (i.e., within a human life span)

ubiquitous natural resources – found everywhere, air, water, sunlight
renewable resources – can replenish/regenerate within a short period (human life span) non-renewable resources – rate of extraction is faster (on human scale) than rate of renewal

carrying capacity – resource constraints on population in an ecosystem
140 people/minute added to the planet, not uniform, 98% in middle- to low-income countries population
fertility rate – average number of children a woman has in lifetime (2 = replacement, stable)

many developed countries below 2.0 fertility rate

many developing countries 3.0 to 7.0 fertility rate
first reproduction – average age when woman births first child

many developed countries above 25 years yields four generations in 100y

many developing countries at about 20 years yields five generations in 100 y

population age structure (population pyramid) – proportion of people at different ages

e.g., large number of young entering child-bearing years (developing countries) rate of mortality – number of deaths due to a disease divided by the total population declining in poorer countries (birth rate lags behind)

exponential growth – amount added to a system is proportional to the amount present, as system grows in size so does the rate of increase

demography – science of populations, e.g., births, deaths, and migrations demographic transition – changes in population (birth/death rates) with development

sustained land management (SLM) – “the use of land resources, including soils, water, animals and plants, for the production of goods to meet changing human needs, while simultaneously ensuring the long-term productive potential of these resources and the maintenance of their environmental functions” UN, Food and Agriculture Organization

development – growth and progress, typically economic, political, social, technological

gross domestic product (GDP) – standard measure of value, i.e., producing goods + services/y within a countries border, an estimate of a country's wealth

gross national product – income earned by businesses or individuals outside of the country, or income earned within a country by foreign interests

purchasing power parity – how much of a local good a person can buy in their country, indication of the standard of living of individuals

excludability – degree to which a resource/service can be limited to only paying customers (non-excludable goods and services include air, water, timber, etc.
rivalrous – if used by one person presents barriers to others

economy SDG 1, 8 poverty, work
economic inequity
- women and children disproportionately affected - caused by taxation,

deregulation of industry,
international trade policy,
exploitation and disempowerment of labour, unequal access to technology

when a country has structurally high unemployment or under employment - education nonexistent or poorly adapted
- reduction in labour force due to automation
- movement of industry to areas where labour is cheaper

- bankruptcy of large single industries

society SDG 3, 4, 5, 10, 16 – health, education, gender/women, reduced inequalities, justice

ethics – principles of right and wrong conduct, decerning/enacting what is right from wrong

ethical perspective – a lens used to view a problem, where to place emphasis/values in geography a tension/paradox of human versus physical, between culture and nature

community – scale/level of group of people with diverse characteristics linked by social ties, often in the same geographic location or setting health and safety
- developing countries reducing annual mortality among children

indicator – unit of information measured overtime that documents change

human development index (HDI) – UN, per capita indicators of economic growth, average life expectancy, average education levels, and literacy rates, it is a composite index

gross national happiness index (GNH) – surveys the public, the extent to which they are happy

social progress index (SPI) – basic human needs, foundations of well-being and opportunity

environment SDG 15.9 ecosystem/biodiversity into planning

the commons – shared resource, e.g., air, ocean, wildlife, fuels limits due to: environmental mismanagement (malnourishment, lack of water, hygiene) geopolitical conflict over resources, level of national security and energy independence

transboundary pollutant – those generated in one country, transported by wind across borders disproportionately impact specific populations, especially poor minority communities

IPAT model – per capita negative impact on environment I = Popn. × Affluence × Technology (polluting)

environmental justice – “fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people
regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies” (US EPA)

just sustainabilities – need to ensure a better quality of life for all, just and equitable, while living within the limits of supporting ecosystems

spatial justice – social justice and space (geography), fair distribution of resources/opportunity by integrating environment, justice, cultural diversity, and democracy

conventional economic model ...is that economic growth creates a better standard of living, so decouple GDP from success of country, greenhouse gas emissions from economic development

absolute sustainability – identifiable terms, stays within their allowance “stick to your share” sustain itself in to the future without great impact to the planet
e.g., cake (size, who shares, how to share) – i.e., planetary boundary framework
i.e., water, land, biodiversity

systems thinking – holistic approach, linkages and interactions among highly integrated parts reacting in complex ways, e.g., social and environmental conditions (unlike reductionist chain-of-events thinking, e.g., rain as evaporation into a cloud...) examine parts/stages in isolation and influence on others
(e.g., rain as a cyclical feedback loop)

emergent properties – novel, give the system unique characteristics as parts interact event-oriented (linear) thinking

complex adaptive system – change is mitigated by many other facets of the overall system systems thinking is used to understand connection of humanity with the environment whatever is used/removed is part of and therefore impacts a natural cycle
e.g., human consumption system (whatever you use impacts persons in other areas

can increase the amount of resource extraction, such as mining to get more, etc.)

sustainability – four principles, for the nested dependency model to be effective (note: each of these cannot systematically increase over time)
1- amount of substances extracted from Earth's crust
2- amount of waste produced

3- rate of planet degradation
4- no conditions that systematically undermine the capacity of people to meet their needs

sustainability – managing the environment for current and future generations - interdisciplinary connections

- individual and institutional behaviors - novel collaborations
- innovation and entrepreneurship
- new technologies

- policy decisions

(... so, SDG 12 consumption/production)

sustainability – meeting basic needs, especially water, food, shelter, clothing, etc.

replacement rate – resources available based on human consumption vs. natural replacement

equilibrium – use resources at a rate in which natural systems remain steady, replenishment

excessive consumption – removal faster than replenished naturally, resource depleted

sustainability = “space between planetary boundaries and social boundaries” best achieved through regenerative and distributive economy concept/image: doughnut economics

planetary boundaries – biophysical thresholds, safe operating limits (Johan Rockström) overview of current environmental and resource issues

infrastructure – basic physical and organizational structures and facilities of society
e.g.,

potholes – road surface failure, shallow hole, typical of chinook-prone regions of prairie e.g., renewable energy systems will require a multidirectional grid infrastructure

vehicle-to-grid – integrate electric and hybrid vehicles with the developing smart grid cars used <five hours/day, so, they can become storage devices with two-way metering

infrastructure barriers to most sustainable energy solutions:
- current infrastructure is based on fossil fuels
- people don’t want sustainable energy project in their “backyard” - aesthetics of renewable energy projects

“not in my backyard” (NIMBY) – reaction of people, not wanting projects near them, for aesthetic or environmental reasons, could potentially lower real estate values

green infrastructure – services directed through or utilizing/mimicking nature storm water runoff – precipitation (rain or snowmelt) that flows across the land

transportation sector – business services of infrastructure and people/goods movement, 90% of transportation area comes from petroleum (we need to rethink that, some people are), for reducing mobile source emissions some of the sustainable solutions include:

acid deposition – wet or dry (i.e., rain or snow) chemicals from nitric and sulfuric acids, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from refineries, secondary pollutant, lowers water pH and mobilizes toxic metals from soil, which is harmful to aquatic life

true cost accounting and externalities – a practice, accounting for all aspects of a product; environmental, social, economic (e.g., sweatshop where workers suffer harm)

cradle-to-cradle – recycling process, consumed product recycled into new materials repeatedly

electrostatic precipitator – in pipe, positively charged collecting plate, attracts pollutants induced electric charge remove particulates and aerosols from gas, innovative solution of clean-air technology for power plants, incinerators, and other industries

scrubbers – liquid to wash, or reagents in dry stream, remove unwanted pollutants from a gas

dust control – companies and property owners (e.g., agricultural) use stabilizing techniques \

CO2 capture – theoretical, cost prohibitive, use and disposal uncertain innovate

circular economy – designs/redesigns materials/products to be less resource intensive, ideally also recapture “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products

pollution – unwanted contaminant, natural or anthropogenic, health implications for people chemical, physical, biological
corridor: Quebec City, Montreal, Sarnia, Canada’s worst city for air pollution... Windsor (Ont.)

primary pollutants – released directly e.g., bacterial (animal fecal waste in water supply/air)

mercury – contaminant, deposited in the soil and water once converted to its organic form released through incinerators

lead poisoning – high level lead (Pb) exposure, typically ingested (eat or drink), or skin contact transported by the blood, lead poisoning symptoms: - vision and hearing loss

PCB (are polychlorinated biphenyls) – manufactured chemicals, in CAN are banned

volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – low boiling point (evaporate under normal atmosphere)

asbestos – naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral, used for heat/wear protection, banned

radon – odorless, invisible, natural in earth, radioactive gas, can build-up in basements

arsenic – semimetallic element, naturally occurring, found in water, air, and soil

dioxin – persistent organic pollutants (POPs), manufactured, highly toxic

methyl bromide – fumigant to control pests in agriculture and shipping, depletes ozone layer

air – abiotic, gas, 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, water vapour, etc. cycles over short time scales, renewable but complex dynamic fluid, e.g., N2, CO2

air quality – health of air impacting humans, scientific measures
- respiratory issues, central nervous system, carcinogenic effects, reproductive effects

air quality health index (AQHI) – scale to help Canadians understand the impact of air on health

indoor air quality (IAQ) – heath and comfort of air for occupants within and around buildings

cumulative effects – smaller impacts combine, geographically over time, causes large change

secondary pollutants – compounds that react in the atmosphere to create pollutants. ex O3, particulates, SOX, NOX, e.g., use of wood to heat homes

nitrogen oxides (NOX) – highly reactive compounds power plants, vehicles and other fossil fuel burning technologies

particulates - can combine or chemically change to produce complex health effects broiling or frying food, burning candles, burning wood particulates that cause greatest lung damage:
ex. tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust, cement dust, sulfates from coal-fired power plants

assessment – review process, gathering and analysis of information to see if a goal is met

strategic environmental assessment (SEA) – policies, plans, and programs (PPPs) in order to integrate environmental considerations at the earliest possible stage of decision-making

environmental impact assessment (EIA) – pre-emptive investigation of a development area, “has evolved into a fairly complicated sociopolitical phenomenon” Gov. CAN - scientifically measured impacts on environmental and social systems
- mitigation measures to address impacts

vernacular knowledge – community values/beliefs with local and expert scientific knowledge

indigenous knowledge (traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) or local knowledge) – ecosystem understanding from long-term local experiential knowledge of a people, often oral

biological indicator – species that have a highly sensitivity to changes in the environment e.g., amphibians are sensitive to water pH change therefore a species for acid deposition levels

precautionary principle – measures taken to prevent environmental degradation even if a cause-effect relationship is not fully established in science

monitoring – explicit/systematic check of outputs/outcomes related to a management

environmental audit – voluntary, documented, periodic, objective process of compliance, what needs to be done to ensure relevant environmental regulations are being followed, internal by an organization/government, to identify weaknesses in management systems improves sustainability without regulation and government interference

sustainability assessment – determine the environmental sustainability of a proposed action

duty to consult – legal obligation prior decision of consequences for rights of the indigenous

aboriginal rights – collective/inherent to practice/custom/tradition (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)

treaty rights – terms of historic/modern Canadian treaty agreement with indigenous people

impact and benefit agreements (IBAs) – voluntary, improve local economic/social well-being recourse

alternative dispute resolution (ADR) –non-judicial approach to resolving disputes, negotiation/mediation/arbitration, reparation for harm done, improve future conduct

negotiation – parties in a dispute join voluntary, explore issues, reach mutual agreement

mediation – negotiation process guided by a facilitator (mediator)

arbitration – dispute resolution, third party selected to listen and develop a solution

weather – short-term changes in atmospheric variables
e.g., wind, temperature, insolation/cloudiness, moisture, atmospheric pressure

climate – average pattern of atmospheric variables over long time periods, planetary variables include temperature, humidity and precipitation, cloud cover

global climate change – scientific evidence for natural and organic inputs, historical rise and fall

global warming – Earth’s increase in temperature, possibly interglacial and/or anthropogenic

rapid global warming – Earth’s current temperature increase, anthropogenic evidence

anthropogenic climate forcing – human component of current temperature and climatic shifts SDG 13 curb anthropogenic forcing portion of climate change

infrared thermal radiation – longer wavelength heat outside of the visible spectrum, portion of which comes from sunlight but is also re-radiated by Earth’s surfaces

albedo – deflection of sunlight from Earth surfaces back into space

greenhouse gas – air components that absorb and re-emit heat energy in the atmosphere, sunlight passes through the gas, but it absorbs infrared heat and re-radiates it to Earth

greenhouse gases (GHGs) – compounds of the atmosphere that transfer/reflect heat energy includes water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone water vapor (H2O)

greenhouse effect – similar to how a glass greenhouse heats, but includes winds/convection

enhanced greenhouse effect – human forcing of atmospheric retention of infrared radiation, GHGs rise = atmosphere absorbs and re-radiates more infrared radiation in lower atmosphere

global warming potential (GWP) – of an GHG to global warming gas’s relative measure of heat absorption and residence time

paleo-climatic data – natural layered material proxies as evidence for climate change

ice cores – trapped gas bubbles of ancient air (Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets)

carbon isotopic ratios – different forms of carbon (C13:C12), stable atmospheric proportions can suggest if the carbon is plant derived (fossil fuel) or mineral/tectonic (volcanic)

climate models (general circulation models or GCMs) – mathematical equations to forecast e.g., modelling shows for precipitation increase overall globally, changes vary by geography

e.g., Alberta, our precipitation increase earlier in the spring, decrease in the summer

mitigation – modify the environment, and/or human impacts, to slow environmental change

reduce emissions – cutting down on carbon emissions to minimize pollutant produced

carbon sequestration – capture and lock-down of carbon in a long-term state or location
- naturally by the ecosystem, and encouraged by humans protecting forests (CO2 sink)

- anthropogenic by pumping and storing carbon in underground geologic formations

adaptation – modifying an organism or its behaviour to better fit existing ecosystem conditions

sustainable habitat – ecosystem maintaining humans (food and shelter) and other organisms natural or anthropogenic (but mimics nature) in complexity, array of species, and function without resource depletion (no external waste produced; one species is the food for another)

sustainable human habitat – symbiotic relationship with nature (in planning or building) aspect of urban development for extensions of existing living areas and infrastructure

environmental planning – development decision-making that includes the environment

green building – structure and processes are environmentally responsible, eco-efficient

protected area – recognized, dedicated, managed, clearly defined space for biodiversity, long-term conservation along with associated ecosystem services and cultural values “Rocky Mountains Park” – CAN first (1885, present-day Banff National Park)
coverage of key biodiversity areas stalled since 2015 (UN)

designations that include rare landscapes and geology, along with:

Biosphere Reserve – learning space, site testing intergraded and interdisciplinary approaches terrestrial, marine, coastal for sustainable use, member states submit sites

World Heritage Site – exceptional heritage and intrinsic value (spiritual, ethical, aesthetic) store of natural resources, historic and cultural knowledge, symbolic and future values

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) – for wise use biodiversity, waterfowl, freshwater, food and fiber, hazard control (e.g., drought, flood), etc. signatories to include wise use in policy and planning, research, and exchange data

biodiversity – life variety in all forms, gene and bacteria to reef and forest (~8.7 million species)

threatened – reduced numbers, the possibility of extinction for some species

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – minimize loss, help local restoration of degradation UN push for national policies (2011 to 2020), largely unsuccessful except international trade

Alberta Wildlife Act – protect and conserve wild animals in Alberta, by licence or permit, under Ministerial control and not based on ecological or biological science alone which makes it weak legislation (does not guarantee species protection)

invasive species – growing out of control, spread aggressively, potential to cause harm, spread beyond typical ecosystem, most likely from another region, province, or territory e.g., reducing natural predators/pressures may permit a prey/species to spread

invasive alien species – outside its natural habitat (often another country, ~3000 species/day), arrive accidentally by human transportation or by air, adult/larvae or propagule “hitchhike” e.g., zebra mussel, Dreissna polymorpha, in ballast water from Black, Caspian, and Azov seas to St. Lawrence seaway and Great Lakes

forest – mature ecological system of trees as the dominant vegetation younger forest sequester carbon at a faster rate, has less stored carbon overall older forest has more carbon, stored from long-term growth, but grows slower trees release carbon when die and break-down

deciduous – broad-leaf angiosperms, some have fruit, lose their leaves each year. hardwood – mostly deciduous lumber, grow slower, complex/condensed dense

coniferous – needle-leaf gymnosperms that develop seeds in cones. softwood – mostly coniferous lumber, fast growing, less dense, often less weight

mountain pine beetle – high numbers have destructive impact on forests extremely cold winter days kill dormant beetles, controlling their population

forest fire – natural wildfire, anthropogenic accident/mischief, cultural/prescribed burning

fragmentation – break contiguous region by clearing, infrastructure, impacts wildlife

deforestation – clearing, linked to population growth, increased resource demand

silviculture – practice of managing forests to maximize timber production

annual allowable cut (AAC) – metric/number, permissible long-range sustained yield of forests

forest transition theory – forest can spontaneously rehabilitate if left alone

sustainable forestry – maintain and manage forest to provide ongoing resources and services

selective logging – determining harvest by tree age or species and leaving others in place

forestland tenure security – shift rights, ownership promotes sustainable forest management, degree of renewable, decrease environmental damage, highest restoration potential,
while providing essential resources and local economic potential

independent certification – identifying sustainable timber products with a logo - provide consumers with choice
- lack consistency among different certifying bodies

poaching – illegal hunting, often a land use rights issue (impoverished peasants), nature crime, hunting (shoot, trap, etc.) or foraging (taking of plants) for consumption or trade, tied to land, for subsistence (e.g., steal for food from medieval European landlords) to sport and profit, defined in law, major existential threat to numerous wild organisms (rhino, elephant, big cats)

environmental crime – illegal act which directly harms the environment (UN, poaching 1998)

defaunation – local, global, or functional extinction of a species from ecological communities, impacts on other species, e.g., seed predation and dispersal altered

wildlife tourism – travel industry, economic opportunity for nation, rare species/UNESCO sites, non-consumptive interactions with nature (observe, photograph), but may include fish/hunt impacts of hotel construction in forests/mangroves/etc., disrupt animal feeding etc., emerging concern of social media and selfies taken too-close to wildlife, possibility of pets #wildlifeselfie

wildlife trafficking – commerce of non-domesticated species, usually from natural habitat

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – United Nations international treaty, 170 member countries successfully reduce import/export

stewardship – to carefully and responsibly manage, entrusted control and supervision of environment – natural environment, ecosystems through behavior, decisions, technologies habitat – land/water restoration and protection for species/human preservation/resilience species – organisms within the province and/or nation, and of a global responsibility

community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) – empower/employ local people, reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflicts by deterring interaction (fences, grain storage, etc.), bottom-up approach, laws and local-regulated management, may include selective hunting, train and equip “rangers’ to protect wildlife (“village game scouts” in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia)

communal conservancy – self-governing, democratic entities, run by their members fixed boundaries, creates new jobs, engage large volume of population

midden – ancient garbage heap, preserves bones and seeds suggesting an omnivorous diet

waste – unwanted matter, non-hazardous or hazardous, that has no further use

agricultural waste – crop or animal related residues, unsalable for profit or for a livelihood

industrial solid waste – manufacturing remnants

hazardous waste – chemical substance with a corrosive, flammable, reactive, or toxic property

municipal solid waste (MSW) – unwanted garbage, recyclables, and compostable matter,

from homes, business, institutions (e.g., school, hospital), construction, and demolition

waste management – solid waste globally 3.8 million tonnes/day (anticipated to triple by 2100)

degradable materials – food (greatest), paper, wood, yard and garden wastes, etc. are the largest component of disposed MSW in Canada

textiles – fashion/consumer movement to more clothing purchases more frequently

glass – some recycled, others to black cart (e.g., mirror, window, tempered, and windshield)

metal – blue bin, small pieces go to garbage, large materials to scrap metal recycler (fee?) aerosol cans go to household hazardous waste drop-off locations

construction materials – off cuts and uneconomic urban growth and renovation materials

plastics – abundant manufactured petroleum-based material, rarely biodegrade, long lasting, highly mobile as small bits, a major source of environmental pollution, ecosystem disruption, 86% to landfill, 4% incinerated, 9% recycled (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2019)

polluter pays principle – corporation/person whose activities pollute pays for the clean-up globally applied standard typically enforced through environmental taxes or fines

Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda – policy, tangible actions and timelines to prevent, reduce, reuse, recover, capture, and clean-up plastic waste

sustainable waste management – use matter as long as possible and minimize its disposal by destruction or energy loss from burial in a landfill or incineration,
best accomplished in a systemic approach, within a circular economy,
opposed by linear take-make-waste current model (consumerism, consumption, and disposal)

water – substance, essential for life, exists in all three states (gas, liquid, solid) on Earth, cycles, critical movement mechanism for physical processes that drive geochemical cycles and biological cycles (e.g., transpiration), renewable by natural process at natural rates, moves through wetland, stream, lake, groundwater, estuary, marine system

sanitization – cleaning and disaffection of an area or item (e.g., water)- lack proper sanitization and hygiene (~2.4 billion people) - death by diarrheal disease (~1000 children/day) waterborne illness – contamination, typically biological, chemical

pathogenic pollutant – biological pathogens from excrement; bacteria, viruses, parasites, e.g., typhoid fever, cholera, hepatitis-A, and diarrhea causing pathogens

chemical pollution – toxic/hazardous material from industry, agriculture, transportation

thermal pollution – degradation of water by changing its temperature, e.g., cooling towers can cause toxic algal blooms, or impact fisheries

water purification – process removing undesirable biota, chemicals, solids, and gases

potable – water that is safe to drink, drinkable, clean fresh water cost-effective treatment at the point of extraction reduces diarrhea episodes by 50%

human waste management – sanitization system for removal of human excreta

smart irrigation – more precision and less waste. most live in informal settlements, or slums, with no sanitization facilities. processing and processes: e.g., textile (one of largest consumers), automotive manufacturing, mining, metal refining, pharmaceuticals, paper, commercial beverage production, electronics

water-energy nexus – water is needed for extraction and refinement - water as an energy source by mills, dams for electrical energy, etc., water as other than a common good/property

commercialization – manage for financial gain, water is “the new oil” of economics national/international security issue on diversion and foreign policy transboundary extraction and use (especially rivers and aquifers) bottled water – individual serving, modern single-use plastic containers are ubiquitous

privatization – private company pays large upfront price to a municipality (balance budget) then recoup that fee and turn a large profit, reduced service and water quality
of public water supplies in developed cities and municipalities of U.S.A. and Europe

remunicipalization – returning of water control from private for-profit company to local control has been shown to maintain the access, affordability, and quality of water

Canada Water Act (1970) – jointly (federal/provincial) to conserve, develop, and use resource

salinization – contamination of fresh water with salt

desalination – removal of minerals (salt, etc.) typically from seawater to make potable water reverse osmosis (brine as a waste, potential pollutant)

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

sustainable sanitation – system of long-term recovery, reuse

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

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

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

cation-exchange capacity (CEC) - measure of soil fertility

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

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

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

sustainable pasture – grazing lands for animals managed by the ecosystem approach

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

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

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

rare earth elements (REE) – key components in many electronic devices and industrial use China is the current largest miner/producer

refining – remove impurities or unwanted elements from a raw resource

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

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)

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

non-renewable energy – sources subject to limitations technologies for extraction, but increased health and environmental risk

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)

hydrocarbon – bound compounds of hydrogen and carbon

coal – geologic/sedimentary deposit predominantly of a combustible carbon,

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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”

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

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

fugitive source – non-ducted airborne emission of pollutions
- dust from agricultural tilling operations spreading into the air
- pipeline leaking oil into a wetland image: NJEasy

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)

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

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

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

kinetic energy – energy of motion
potential energy – has the potential to do work

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

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

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

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

biogas – biogenic methane which is generated in landfills and from animal waste

geothermal energy – volcanic activity and groundwater

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

ground energy – exchange of heat with underground by pipes and fans

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

grey hydrogen – produced from hydrocarbons (methane or coal)

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

green hydrogen – electrolysis of water using renewable energy

agriculture – cultures

irrigation (watering) – controlled amount of artificial crop hydration, used for over 5000 y

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

community-supported agriculture (CSA) – farmer offers public shares (for seasonal allotment)

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

farm-to-table – restaurant meals from local growers

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)

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

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

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?

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

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

microplastic especially, nets, urban waste

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

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

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

great Pacific garbage patch – current-accumulated floating trash in Pacific Ocean’s centre

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

green bond – high-quality, fixed-income investments for investors

renewable energy certificate (REC) – based on the amount of energy produced, can be traded

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

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)

liability – being responsible under law, e.g., for environmental and health damages

implementation barriers

global conflicts
global energy policy – no clear and consistent global agenda
transformation – radical and pervasive reorganization of a social-ecological system

greater investment up-front communal conservancies nature-based infrastructure green jobs ...