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E-waste

Waste materials generated from using or discarding electronic devices (such as computers, televisions, and mobile phones). E-waste tends to be highly toxic to humans, plants, and animals and contaminate water, air (often when burned), and dirt (where dumped or spilled)....
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EBITA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, and Amortization)

An accounting measure that is a snapshot of a company's financial standing. EBITA is the company's financial picture with regard to earnings. However, what is missing from the concept of earnings, and the EBITA snapshot, is the cost and depletion...
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Eco-Industrial Park

Two or more separate industrial processes co-located in to form mutually beneficial, symbiotic relationships in which each participant’s environmental and resource issues (including energy, water, materials and waste) are managed in a manner that improves their environmental and economic performance....
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Eco-Labels

Any label that attempts to certify or distinguish a product or service in terms of environmental issues. The ISO 14021-14025 standards outline four different categories of eco-labels: Type I labels are product seals licensed by governments or third party private...
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Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)

An EU program recognizing organizations that are continuously improving their environmental performance beyond what is legally required. Organizations regularly produce statements reporting their compliancy and performance. Once becoming verified, they are recognized by an EMAS logo. http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/emas/...
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Eco-effectiveness

The central strategy in the cradle-to-cradle development method and seeks to create industrial systems that emulate healthy natural systems. The central principle of eco-effectiveness is that “waste equals food.” The concept was developed in response to some of the perceived...
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Eco-efficiency

A term for leveraging technological and process changes in order to generate solutions that offer more value than current offerings while reducing resource use and environmental impact throughout the product or service's life. Ideally, eco-efficiency not only achieves the best...
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Ecological Economics

An interdisciplinary framework that seeks to merge the two historically separate fields of economics and ecology. It assumes that: 1) there is an inherent link between the health of the Earth’s ecosystem and the economic system created by human beings;...
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Ecological Footprint

A term coined by ecologist William Rees and Mathis Wackernage to describe the total ecological impact (the amount of land, food, water, and other resources needed) to sustain a person or organization. This is usually measured in acres or hectares...
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Ecological Marketing

Developed in the 1990s, a marketing approach to highlight products and production methods that improve environmental performance, further ecological causes, or solve environmental problems. Marketing products and services on these effects is growing but not all environmental claims are accurate....
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Ecology

Derived from the Greek words oikos, and logos meaning “study of home.” Preceding the 1935 introduction of the term "ecosystem" by Sir Arthur Tansley, Vladimir I. Vernadsky used it to define the science of the biosphere. Ecology studies the Earth...
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Economic Value Added (EVA)

An estimate of a business’ true economic profit for the year, differing sharply from accounting profit. EVA represents the residual income that remains after the cost of all capital, including equity capital has been deducted, whereas accounting profit is determined...
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Ecosystem

A dynamic and interdependent living communityof people, parts, or mechanisms that interact with one another. The term was coined by Arthur Tansley, a British Ecologist, who said that ecosystems have the capacity to respond to change without altering the basic...
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Ecosystem Services

A collection of services provided by the Earth’s ecosystem that are usually not a part of economic analyses but that are indispensable for any human endeavors. These include: clean air and water, plant pollination, climate regulation, soil regeneration, ozone protection,...
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Ecotistical

A term coined by David Crawford of the Manitoba Product Stewardship Corporation, writing in GreenBiz.com referring to: Characteristic of those having inflated the truthfulness about their own environmental accomplishments Characteristic of having an exaggerated sense of environmental importance An environmental...
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Ecotourism

Engaging in responsible travel to natural areas while conserving the environment and improving the well-being of local people. Those who lead or participate in ecotourism activities strive to: Minimize their impactBuild environmental and cultural awareness and respectProvide positive experiences for...
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Efficiency

The relation of outcomes, measured in a variety of ways, to the inputs required for that level of production. In business, efficiency of materials, energy, personnel, investment, and processes are commonly measured in order to measure performance and prioritize expenditures...
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Emissions Trading

An approach used by governmental regulatory agencies, private trading systems (such as the CCX), and private companies to reduce air pollution by providing economic incentives to reduce net emissions. Limits or “caps” are set and groups that foresee exceeding these...
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Energy Performance Contracting (EPC)

A contract with an architect, designer, or developer in which they are paid a bit more than they conventionally would have been, but part of their fee is paid over time from the savings their solution creates in terms of...
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