Green Glossary
How You Know It's Green | Why Go Green? | Does Green Cost More? | Green Glossary
Biodegradable
Biodegradable material is that which, when left to itself, will be decomposed by natural processes.
Chlorine-free
Chlorine-free includes three classifications: Totally chlorine-free (TCF) is virgin paper produced without chlorine or chlorine derivatives; Processed chlorine-free (PCF) contains recycled content produced without elemental chlorine or chlorine derivatives; and Elemental chlorine-free (Traditional ECF) replaces elemental chlorine with chlorine dioxide in the bleaching process.
Compostable
Compostable materials are those that decay into organic substances and can be used for fertilizing soil.
Green
Green can mean anything from recycled to compostable. MyGreenGSB includes one or more of the following qualities when we call a product green: biodegradable or compostable; made of 100% recycled content or contains recycled content; saves energy; nontoxic; reusable or represents a greener alternative; emits low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons); uses renewable resources or is rechargeable; the manufacturing company uses green methods in the factory; the product is certified as such by an established third party.
LEED Certified
A U.S. Green Business Council certification, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating system is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible, profitable, and a healthy place to live and work. It encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
Recycled Paper
Recycled paper comprises two main categories: Pre–consumer recycled, which contains scrap and trimmings from paper mills as well as paper products that were never used in the consumer market (e.g. returned magazines and newspapers) and Post-consumer recycled, which includes materials that have been through their intended life and would otherwise have been disposed of, such as office paper, cardboard and magazines. The higher the post-consumer recycled content, the more material diverted from municipal waste to landfill.
Sustainability
Sustainability is defined by 35-year environmental expert William Blackburn as "respect for people and other living things and the wise use of resources for the purpose of promoting the long-term well-being of the organization and society." It is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
