Definitions - l

A nearly level land area that was formed as a lake bed.

A wind blowing onshore from the surface of a lake.

A nocturnal coastal breeze that blows from land to sea. In the evening the water may be warmer than the land, causing pressure differences. The land breeze is the flow of air from land to sea equalizing these pressure differences. See sea breeze.

Gas that is generated by decomposition of organic material at landfill disposal sites. Landfill gas is approximately 50 percent methane.

The study of the distribution patterns of communities and ecosystems, the ecological processes that affect those patterns, and changes in pattern and process over time.

Water that collects contaminants as it trickles through wastes, pesticides or fertilizers. Leaching may occur in farming areas, feedlots, and landfills, and may result in hazardous substances entering surface water, ground water, or soil.

LED lighting is often a replacement to old filament light bulbs. It often has much better power efficiency and can last a lot longer, as long as they have good cooling.

The comprehensive examination of a product's environmental and economic effects throughout its lifetime, including raw material extraction, transportation, manufacturing, use and disposal.

The estimated cost of owning and operating a system for the period of its useful life. usually applied to photo voltaic systems and renewable energy systems.

Manufacturing activities that use moderate amounts of partially processed materials to produce items of relatively high value per unit weight (see Heavy Industry).

A type of fast acting fuse used to protect the solar power system in the event of a lightning strike.

Use of a limestone and water solution to remove gaseous stack-pipe sulfur before it reaches the atmosphere.

The study of the physical, chemical, hydrological, and biological aspects of fresh water.

A pesticide that causes adverse health effects in domestic water supplies and is toxic to freshwater fish and aquatic life.

A multi-year surplus accumulation of snowfall in excess of snowmelt on land and resulting in a very large mass of ice.

Localvore describes someone who adheres to a locally sourced diet. A localvore only eats food grown within a given nearby area, buying fresh and usually organic produce directly from farmers and small markets. Localvores often have direct relationships with local farmers, whose presence is essential to the ecological diversity and sustainability of the region, and their avoidance of large-scale farms and transportation costs reduces the environmental impact of their eating.

LED lighting is often a replacement to old filament light bulbs. It often has much better power efficiency and can last a lot longer, as long as they have good cooling.

A green roof is a conventional roof covered with a layer of vegetation, also known as “living roofs”. Green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a wildlife habitat and helping to lower urban air temperatures and combat the urban heat island effect. There are two types of green roofs: intensive roofs, which are thicker and can support a wider variety of plants but heavy and require ongoing maintenance, and extensive roofs, which are covered in a light layer of vegetation and are lighter than an intensive green roof.