Carbon Literacy & Sustainability Essentials (2026)

The balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.

A model of production and consumption that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, and recycling existing materials for as long as possible.

When an organization spends more time and money on marketing itself as environmentally friendly than on actually minimizing its environmental impact.

Environmental, Social, and Governance; a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments.

The total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions.

Direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by a company (e.g., company vehicles).

Indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, including both upstream and downstream emissions (often the largest part of a footprint).

Compensating for your own carbon dioxide emissions by participating in or funding projects that reduce or store carbon elsewhere (like planting trees).

The variety of all living things on Earth and how they fit together in the web of life.

Farming and grazing practices that reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity.

Relatively clean waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines, and other kitchen appliances that can be reused for things like irrigation.

The process of transforming by-products, waste materials, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or higher environmental value.

Tiny plastic particles (less than 5mm) that result from both the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste.

Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.

The process by which organizations buy goods and services while taking into account environmental and social impacts.

A systematic analysis of the environmental impact of a product during its entire life—from raw material extraction to disposal.

An inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends, often leading to high environmental waste.

The natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.

Using less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result (e.g., using LED bulbs instead of incandescent).

A chronic fear of environmental doom or the distress caused by the impacts of climate change.

The energy consumed by electronic devices while they are switched off or in standby mode (also known as standby power).

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle; a hierarchy for managing waste.