Veganomics Lesson Five: Learn the Go Green Lingo! 

Do the buzz work of the green moment leave you scratching your head? Brush up on your vocab words!

Get hip to the definitions by visiting re:modern’s Green Modern Glossary of Terms and sift through Green Jargon and Terminology at Green Living Tips.

Some common terms:

Bright green: An optimistic outlook that technological breakthroughs will save the day, making life more comfortable and energy efficient.

Dark green: A pessimistic view of the future. It includes those who expect energy-deprived civilization to collapse and those who foresee a future that’s more like the past, in which food is grown locally and people reach their destinations on foot or by streetcar rather than by automobiles.

DIY: Do-It-Yourself. Creating things yourself without the help of professionals. A mentality that often goes hand-in-hand with recycling and conserving resources.

Eco-chic: A product or good that is both eco-friendly and hip.

Eco-friendly: An alternative to goods usually bought in most stores. These products are made with ecology and the environment in mind.

Fair Trade: A social movement that promotes standards for international labor and gives workers a sense of economic self sufficiency through fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged populations. 

Going Green: A phrase referring to individual action that a person can consciously take to curb harmful effects on the environment through consumer habits, behavior, and lifestyle. 

Greenhouse effect: The warming of the Earth’s atmosphere attributed to a buildup of carbon dioxide and other gases that retain heat and warm the planet’s surface.

Greenwashing: Greenwashing is a superficial nod to the environment that marketers and businesses that historically were not interested in sustainable concerns, are doing in order to improve their public relation standings with the consumer or public. Analogous to brainwashing. Don’t be fooled by dishonest companies employing greenwashing techniques.

Organic: Of or relating to a product that is solely made from plants or insects. Organic materials and products often carry certifications according to industry.

Shade grown: If you buy Fair Trade-certified coffee, tea and chocolate, it is usually shade-grown. This means that the products you buy provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming.

Sustainable: Actions and products that meet current needs without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Sustainability is a broad term and often refers to the desire to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future.

Head spinning or want some more? Check of Ideal Bite’s Biter Lexicon.

Homework: Next time someone talks about the Go Green! movement, talk the talk (and then walk the walk!). Tres eco-chic.


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