D
Debt Swap
Also referred to as a debt-for-nature swap, debt swap involves purchasing a portion of a nation’s public debt at a discount, and converting the debt into local currency to be used to finance local conservation activities, such as preserving land....[Read more about this term]
Demand-Side Management
Also known as energy demand management, DSM is used in the electric utility industry as a technique to reduce peak demand under periods where the systems are constrained. This peak demand management does not necessarily decrease total energy consumption but...[Read more about this term]
Dematerialization
Reducing the total material that goes toward providing benefits to customers. May be accomplished through greater efficiency, the use of better or more appropriate materials, or by creating a service that produces the same benefit as a product....[Read more about this term]
Design for Environment
Design for Environment (DfE) is a process used in many industries to help organizations improve the environmental impact of their products and services throughout the development process. Each industry approaches this process differently and there are few standards. In addition,...[Read more about this term]
Diminishing Marginal Utility
A concept from economics that describes decreasing utility or desire for more of the same product or service. The "law" states that the more we have of a given product the less satisfaction (or utility) we receive from each additional...[Read more about this term]
Discounted Cash Flow
A financial term referring to the value of an investment adjusted for the time value of money. Since money loses value over time, future cash to be received must be discounted to express its present value (today) in order to...[Read more about this term]
Discounting
In economics, converting future dollars into their present value. This can be a misleading indicator because, for example, when damage happens far in the future, discounting can make it seem less costly, such as with pollution or nuclear waste. Also,...[Read more about this term]
Distributed Collaborative Intelligence
Distributed collaborative intelligence is group collaboration within a virtual sphere of interaction, where group members can interact in real time even though they are not located within the same physical space. Examples are instant messaging capabilities, as well as group...[Read more about this term]
Diversity
In nature, diversity is a source of ecosystem strength since failures are unlikely to eliminate all species. Therefore, the ecosystem will recover in some form and continue. In business or investing, diversity can provide a similar source of robustness against...[Read more about this term]
Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Created in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index is one of the first global indexes watching the financial performance leading companies with an emphasis on sustainability in economic, social, and environmental capacities. The DJSIs emphasize long-term corporate performance and positive...[Read more about this term]
Downcycle
Most recycled industrial nutrients (materials) lose viability or value in the process of recycling. This means they can only be used in a degraded form for components other than their original use. White writing paper, for example, is often downcycled...[Read more about this term]
