Glossary
Additionality - The carbon dioxide emission reductions would not have occurred without the existence of the activity, intervention, or project.
Atmosphere - The thin layer of gases that surround the Earth, protecting us from solar UV radiation and insulating us from the cold temperatures of space.
Biodiversity - All of the different kinds of living things found in an area. More different types of living things generally indicates a healthier ecosystem.
Blockchain - A database that stores information in blocks rather than tables. The blocks are linked by adding hashed information from the previous block to the newly added block. The list of records, in the form of blocks, is not stored in a single location, is impossible to hack, is publicly accessible, and easily verifiable.
Blue Carbon - The carbon that is stored in ocean and coastal ecosystems.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - A colorless and odorless gas naturally found in the air that is produced when animals exhale and by the burning of fossil fuels. It is taken in and used by plants during photosynthesis. The carbon dioxide molecule is composed of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, and is abbreviated CO2.
Carbon Footprint - The total amount of carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) that are emitted in a year from our everyday activities by an individual, family, or business.
Carbon Neutral - An entity (individual, company, event, etc.) that has a net zero carbon footprint. This means that their activities result in no net addition of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Carbon Storage - The removal and subsequent long-term storage of carbon dioxide (and other forms of carbon) in plants, soils, geologic formations, or the oceans. This process is also called carbon sequestration. Also see Natural Carbon Storage.
Climate - Long-term weather pattern in a given area
Climate Change - Changes in the long-term temperature averages and normal weather patterns of an area
Decomposition - The biological process of breaking down dead material (organic matter) into smaller constituent parts by bacteria and fungi. The speed of decomposition can be controlled by the presence of oxygen. At low oxygen levels, such as occur in flooded soils, decomposition is slowed.
Direct Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Emissions from sources that are under the control of the individual or business that is calculating their carbon footprint, such as those emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels for the electricity that powers a home or business.
Ecosystem - All of the interacting living things (e.g., plants, birds, fish, and bacteria) and the physical environment (e.g., air, water, dead organisms, soil, and solar radiation) in a given area.
Ecosystem Processes - The way that the living and non-living things in an ecosystem interact and how these interactions and the ecosystem components themselves change over time.
Energy Efficient - Something that uses less energy to produce the same good or service.
Fossil Fuel - A compound such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which we burn for fuel, that was formed from the prehistoric remains of living things that were buried and transformed in geologic formations over millions of years.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) - A gas that traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and ozone are all greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse Effect - A process that occurs when gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. This is a natural phenomenon that keeps the temperature of the Earth warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. Under normal conditions, Earth's temperature would remain at a comfortable life-supporting temperature range. However, as greenhouse gas levels increase in the atmosphere, so does the insulting power of the greenhouse effect, resulting in an increase in the Earth's temperature ranges even further.
Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Emissions from sources that are not controlled directly by the individual or business that is calculating their carbon footprint, but that are released as a consequence of the production or transport of goods or services used by the individual or business. Examples include fossil fuel emissions resulting from the farming of food that is purchased and eaten, or the emissions from the factory and the trucks producing and transporting computers or other products that are then purchased.
Infiltration - The process by which water moves from the surface of the land into the soil.
LIDAR - Stands for Light Detection and Ranging; This is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of lasers to measure variable distances to the Earth and to generate three-dimensional information on the shape and surface characteristics of the Earth. It is usually done from an airplane, but can also be done at ground level from a stationary platform.
Metric Ton - A unit of weight; 1 metric ton = 1.1 U.S. tons = 2204 lbs
National Wetlands Inventory - A public resource maintained by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that contains detailed information on the abundance, characteristics, and distribution of U.S. wetlands. Anyone may access this information on the USFWS page.
Natural Carbon Storage - The uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by plants and subsequent long-term storage of carbon in stems, leaves, bark, and the soil. This is process is also known as carbon sequestration.
Natural State - Allowing natural processes to proceed unhindered, but does not imply active management to improve ecosystem health.
Neotropical - Referring to the geographic region of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Nutrients - Any substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. While there are many, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two of the most important limiting nutrients required for plant growth.
Nutrient Cycling - The movement of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from the physical environment through living things (i.e., plants and animals) and then back to the environment by biological, chemical, and physical processes.
Organic Matter - Matter composed of organic carbon containing molecules that are created by living organisms and can be found in the form of the tissues and materials that make up all plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, as well as in the dead and decomposing material often found in soil.
Photosynthesis - The process by which plants and some other organisms produce energy (sugars) from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is a by-product and is released by plants into the atmosphere.
Remote Sensing - The measurement of information about objects or areas obtained from a distance. Typically, these are measurements of Earth's surface taken from aircraft or satellites.
Renewable Energy - Energy generated from a source that is not depleted when it is used, or can be replenished within a human lifetime. This includes solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power; sometimes called alternative energy.
Resilience - The ability of our natural ecosystems and built infrastructure to handle, adapt, and recover quickly from extreme events like hurricanes and floods.
Respiration - The process by which the cells of all living things (i.e., plants, animals, bacteria) break down food (organic matter) for energy. Also known as cellular respiration.
Sustainability - Meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
U.S. Ton - A unit of weight; 1 U.S. ton = 2000 lbs = 0.91 metric tons
Weather - The atmospheric conditions in an area over a short period of time.
Wetland - An area of land that is saturated with water for sufficient frequency and duration to support flood adapted plants. These ecosystems include, but are not limited to, marshes, bogs, and swamps.
Atmosphere - The thin layer of gases that surround the Earth, protecting us from solar UV radiation and insulating us from the cold temperatures of space.
Biodiversity - All of the different kinds of living things found in an area. More different types of living things generally indicates a healthier ecosystem.
Blockchain - A database that stores information in blocks rather than tables. The blocks are linked by adding hashed information from the previous block to the newly added block. The list of records, in the form of blocks, is not stored in a single location, is impossible to hack, is publicly accessible, and easily verifiable.
Blue Carbon - The carbon that is stored in ocean and coastal ecosystems.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - A colorless and odorless gas naturally found in the air that is produced when animals exhale and by the burning of fossil fuels. It is taken in and used by plants during photosynthesis. The carbon dioxide molecule is composed of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, and is abbreviated CO2.
Carbon Footprint - The total amount of carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) that are emitted in a year from our everyday activities by an individual, family, or business.
Carbon Neutral - An entity (individual, company, event, etc.) that has a net zero carbon footprint. This means that their activities result in no net addition of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Carbon Storage - The removal and subsequent long-term storage of carbon dioxide (and other forms of carbon) in plants, soils, geologic formations, or the oceans. This process is also called carbon sequestration. Also see Natural Carbon Storage.
Climate - Long-term weather pattern in a given area
Climate Change - Changes in the long-term temperature averages and normal weather patterns of an area
Decomposition - The biological process of breaking down dead material (organic matter) into smaller constituent parts by bacteria and fungi. The speed of decomposition can be controlled by the presence of oxygen. At low oxygen levels, such as occur in flooded soils, decomposition is slowed.
Direct Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Emissions from sources that are under the control of the individual or business that is calculating their carbon footprint, such as those emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels for the electricity that powers a home or business.
Ecosystem - All of the interacting living things (e.g., plants, birds, fish, and bacteria) and the physical environment (e.g., air, water, dead organisms, soil, and solar radiation) in a given area.
Ecosystem Processes - The way that the living and non-living things in an ecosystem interact and how these interactions and the ecosystem components themselves change over time.
Energy Efficient - Something that uses less energy to produce the same good or service.
Fossil Fuel - A compound such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which we burn for fuel, that was formed from the prehistoric remains of living things that were buried and transformed in geologic formations over millions of years.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) - A gas that traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and ozone are all greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse Effect - A process that occurs when gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. This is a natural phenomenon that keeps the temperature of the Earth warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. Under normal conditions, Earth's temperature would remain at a comfortable life-supporting temperature range. However, as greenhouse gas levels increase in the atmosphere, so does the insulting power of the greenhouse effect, resulting in an increase in the Earth's temperature ranges even further.
Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Emissions from sources that are not controlled directly by the individual or business that is calculating their carbon footprint, but that are released as a consequence of the production or transport of goods or services used by the individual or business. Examples include fossil fuel emissions resulting from the farming of food that is purchased and eaten, or the emissions from the factory and the trucks producing and transporting computers or other products that are then purchased.
Infiltration - The process by which water moves from the surface of the land into the soil.
LIDAR - Stands for Light Detection and Ranging; This is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of lasers to measure variable distances to the Earth and to generate three-dimensional information on the shape and surface characteristics of the Earth. It is usually done from an airplane, but can also be done at ground level from a stationary platform.
Metric Ton - A unit of weight; 1 metric ton = 1.1 U.S. tons = 2204 lbs
National Wetlands Inventory - A public resource maintained by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that contains detailed information on the abundance, characteristics, and distribution of U.S. wetlands. Anyone may access this information on the USFWS page.
Natural Carbon Storage - The uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by plants and subsequent long-term storage of carbon in stems, leaves, bark, and the soil. This is process is also known as carbon sequestration.
Natural State - Allowing natural processes to proceed unhindered, but does not imply active management to improve ecosystem health.
Neotropical - Referring to the geographic region of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Nutrients - Any substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. While there are many, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two of the most important limiting nutrients required for plant growth.
Nutrient Cycling - The movement of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from the physical environment through living things (i.e., plants and animals) and then back to the environment by biological, chemical, and physical processes.
Organic Matter - Matter composed of organic carbon containing molecules that are created by living organisms and can be found in the form of the tissues and materials that make up all plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, as well as in the dead and decomposing material often found in soil.
Photosynthesis - The process by which plants and some other organisms produce energy (sugars) from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is a by-product and is released by plants into the atmosphere.
Remote Sensing - The measurement of information about objects or areas obtained from a distance. Typically, these are measurements of Earth's surface taken from aircraft or satellites.
Renewable Energy - Energy generated from a source that is not depleted when it is used, or can be replenished within a human lifetime. This includes solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power; sometimes called alternative energy.
Resilience - The ability of our natural ecosystems and built infrastructure to handle, adapt, and recover quickly from extreme events like hurricanes and floods.
Respiration - The process by which the cells of all living things (i.e., plants, animals, bacteria) break down food (organic matter) for energy. Also known as cellular respiration.
Sustainability - Meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
U.S. Ton - A unit of weight; 1 U.S. ton = 2000 lbs = 0.91 metric tons
Weather - The atmospheric conditions in an area over a short period of time.
Wetland - An area of land that is saturated with water for sufficient frequency and duration to support flood adapted plants. These ecosystems include, but are not limited to, marshes, bogs, and swamps.