Business Terms
When companies are misleading and present false sustainability efforts
Greenwashing
Outdoor apparel company that uses sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester, and works to reduce its environmental impact through its 1% for the planet program
Patagonia
The total amount of resources (land, water, etc.) required to support a given level of consumption or subsistence. (Can be calculated on website)
Ecological footprint
This country has a large rainforest located in the north
Brazil
This business building is gold according to the LEED certification
Heavener
The practice of consumers buying products and services that are produced responsibly
Conscious consumerism
Produces phone cases, AirPod cases, watch straps, and sunglasses from plant-based materials, aiming to be a waste-free futur
Pela Case
Vegetated infrastructure systems that absorb stormwater, provide insulation to reduce energy costs, and protecting infrastructure from extreme temperatures and UV radiation
Green roofs
This country is 19% desert and has a large coral reef off the coast
Australia
This sustainability office operated for 20 years before getting recently shut down
UF Office of Sustainability
A global system for rating the environmental sustainability of buildings
LEED certifications
For a monthly fee this company offers sustainable fashion alternative by allowing customers to rent clothing
Nuuly
The variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and the ecological processes that support it
Biodiversity
This Asian country's recycling system is one of the best across the world, with around 10 different categories of recyclables
Japan
A non-profit land trust that actively acquires and protects land in North Central Florida
Alachua Conservation Trust
A for-profit company that meets high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency
Certified B Corporation
This company has committed to a circular model by 2030, focusing on designing furniture for longevity, repair, and recycling, using more renewable and recycled materials, and reducing waste
IKEA
The movement and exchange of essential nutrients within the environment, like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
Nutrient cycling
This country operates the largest nuclear fleet in the world with 28 states having at least one reactor
United States
This wetland park was built to filter polluted urban stormwater before reaching Paynes Prairie
Sweetland Wetland Park
A framework that measures a company's success by its financial, social, and environmental performance (people, planet, and profit)
Triple Bottom Line
This company is transitioning to renewable and recycled materials for building bricks
LEGO
The process where excess nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, lead to excessive plant and algal growth, causing harmful algae blooms
Eutrophication
This Scandinavian country has the highest renewable energy usage, lowest carbon emissions
Sweden
This collaboration between UF/IFAS and the federal government offers education about agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, gardening, and family resources
UF/IFAS Extension