Green Glossary
Sources: Meeting Strategies Worldwide and Green Seal

Audubon Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program
Canadian rating system that provides assurance that audited lodging facilities have met environmental best practices standards.

Carbon Offset
A way of counteracting the carbon emitted when the use of fossil fuel causes greenhouse gas emissions. Offsets commonly involve investing in projects such as renewable energy, tree planting and energy efficient projects.

Climate Neutral
Products or services that reduce and offset the greenhouse gases generated at each stage of their lifecycle: the sourcing of their materials, their manufacturing or production, their distribution, use, and ultimate end-of-life disposition.

Compost
A mixture of humus-rich, decomposed vegetable matter, used as a fertilizer or soil enrichment.

Ecological Footprint
The measure of area needed to supply national populations with the resources and area needed to absorb wastes.

Energy Star Equipment
A voluntary labeling program of the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy that identifies energy-efficient products. Qualified products exceed minimum federal standards for energy consumption by a certain amount, or where no federal standards exist, have certain energy saving features.

Green Seal
Green Seal works with manufacturers, industry sectors, purchasing groups, and governments at all levels to “green” the production and purchasing chain. Products only become Green Seal certified after rigorous testing and evaluation, including on-site plant visits.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
A Green Building Rating System that is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.