Vocabulary for global issues

biodiversity

• The variety of plants and animals that live in a certain habitat

• The total number of species in a specific area

• The genetic variation within a species

• The number of ecosystems in a region

consumption

• The amount of things we consume

• The process of producing goods

• The act of selling products

• The total revenue generated from sales

food waste

• the kind of food that is thrown away because it has expired or is left over

• food that is donated to charities

• food that is composted for gardening

• food that is eaten after its expiration date

second-hand goods

• items that have been used but are still in good shape

• brand new items that have never been used

• items that are broken and cannot be repaired

• items that are on sale for a limited time

deforestation

• cutting trees because the land is needed for another purpose

• planting trees to restore the forest

• using trees for making furniture

• protecting forests from logging

sustainable living

• A lifestyle that aims to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources

• A lifestyle focused on maximizing resource consumption

• A lifestyle that promotes urbanization and industrial growth

• A lifestyle that encourages the use of non-renewable energy sources

carbon footprint

• the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities

• the measure of the amount of carbon in the atmosphere

• the total energy consumption of an individual or organization

• the amount of carbon stored in trees and plants

recycling

• the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects

• the act of throwing away trash without sorting

• the method of burning waste to generate energy

• the practice of reusing old items without modification