Definitions - m

Magma

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming.

Wikipedia - Climate Change entry

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Magnetosphere

The region around the earth in which the earth's magnetic field plays a dominant part in controlling the physical processes that take place.

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Mammatus Clouds

Clouds that look like pouches hanging from the underside of a cloud.

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Mandatory Recycling

Programs which by law require consumers to separate trash so that some or all recyclable materials are recovered for recycling rather than going to landfills.

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Mantle

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) (also called glucose-fructose, isoglucose and glucose-fructose syrup) is a sweetener made from corn starch that has been processed by glucose isomerase to convert some of its glucose into fructose. HFCS was first marketed in the early 1970s by the Clinton Corn Processing Company, together with the Japanese Agency of Industrial Science and Technology where the enzyme was discovered in 1965.

As a sweetener, HFCS is often compared to granulated sugar, but manufacturing advantages of HFCS over sugar include that it is easier to handle and more cost-effective. 

Apart from comparisons between HFCS and table sugar, there is some evidence that the over-consumption of added sugar in any form, including HFCS, is a major health problem, especially for the onset of obesity.

Consuming added sugars, particularly as sweetened soft drinks, is strongly linked to weight gain. Also, like most sugars, HFCS can create addictive tendencies in those who consume it regularly in volume (see That Sugar Film for more details on how a high sugar 'Low Fat' diet can be dangerous to your health, and the addictive tendencies that result).

The World Health Organization has recommended that people limit their consumption of added sugars to 10% of calories, but experts say that typical consumption of empty calories in the United States is nearly twice that level.

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Mauna Loa

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) (also called glucose-fructose, isoglucose and glucose-fructose syrup) is a sweetener made from corn starch that has been processed by glucose isomerase to convert some of its glucose into fructose. HFCS was first marketed in the early 1970s by the Clinton Corn Processing Company, together with the Japanese Agency of Industrial Science and Technology where the enzyme was discovered in 1965.

As a sweetener, HFCS is often compared to granulated sugar, but manufacturing advantages of HFCS over sugar include that it is easier to handle and more cost-effective. 

Apart from comparisons between HFCS and table sugar, there is some evidence that the over-consumption of added sugar in any form, including HFCS, is a major health problem, especially for the onset of obesity.

Consuming added sugars, particularly as sweetened soft drinks, is strongly linked to weight gain. Also, like most sugars, HFCS can create addictive tendencies in those who consume it regularly in volume (see That Sugar Film for more details on how a high sugar 'Low Fat' diet can be dangerous to your health, and the addictive tendencies that result).

The World Health Organization has recommended that people limit their consumption of added sugars to 10% of calories, but experts say that typical consumption of empty calories in the United States is nearly twice that level.

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Mean Radiant Temperature

The average temperature experienced from the combination of all the surface temperatures in a room, i.e walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, and people.

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Mesoscale

Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. There are three naturally occurring isotopes, with 12C and 13C being stable, while 14C is radioactive, decaying with a half-life of about 5730 years. Carbon is one of the few elements known since antiquity. The name "carbon" comes from Latin language carbo, coal.

See the full entry on wikipedia

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Meteorologist

This is one of nature’s most sustainable resources, grown without pesticides or chemicals, 100% biodegradable and naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to four feet per day and can be harvested every three to four years. There are over 1,000 documented uses of bamboo, from furniture to ply boards that match the properties of conventional wood to a replacement for disposable plates and utensils.

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Meteorology

This is one of nature’s most sustainable resources, grown without pesticides or chemicals, 100% biodegradable and naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to four feet per day and can be harvested every three to four years. There are over 1,000 documented uses of bamboo, from furniture to ply boards that match the properties of conventional wood to a replacement for disposable plates and utensils.

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Methane

This is one of nature’s most sustainable resources, grown without pesticides or chemicals, 100% biodegradable and naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to four feet per day and can be harvested every three to four years. There are over 1,000 documented uses of bamboo, from furniture to ply boards that match the properties of conventional wood to a replacement for disposable plates and utensils.

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Methyl Bromide

An effective pesticide; used to fumigate soil and many agricultural products. Because it contains bromine, it depletes stratospheric ozone when released to the atmosphere.

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Metropolitan Coalescence

The merging of the urbanized areas of separate metropolitan regions; Megalopolis is an example of this process.

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Micro Inverter

This is a small Inverter that mounts on to the back of each solar panel instead of having one large Inverter used by all the panels. While it works better when partial shading is a concern, it can increase the cost of the overall system.

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Micro Wind Turbine

Micro wind turbine is an umbrella term for small scale wind turbines that are typically deployed on or near buildings and used to generate electricity that is transmitted direct to the property.

Micro wind turbines have in the past been criticized for being visually intrusive and generating less energy than expected.

However, suppliers maintain that models can generate up to 100Kw of energy and represent an efficient source of on-site renewable energy as long as they are situated correctly.

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Microburst

A strong localized downdraft less than 4 km wide that occurs beneath severe thunderstorms. A strong downdraft greater than 4 km across is called a down burst.

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Microgrid

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) (also called glucose-fructose, isoglucose and glucose-fructose syrup) is a sweetener made from corn starch that has been processed by glucose isomerase to convert some of its glucose into fructose. HFCS was first marketed in the early 1970s by the Clinton Corn Processing Company, together with the Japanese Agency of Industrial Science and Technology where the enzyme was discovered in 1965.

As a sweetener, HFCS is often compared to granulated sugar, but manufacturing advantages of HFCS over sugar include that it is easier to handle and more cost-effective. 

Apart from comparisons between HFCS and table sugar, there is some evidence that the over-consumption of added sugar in any form, including HFCS, is a major health problem, especially for the onset of obesity.

Consuming added sugars, particularly as sweetened soft drinks, is strongly linked to weight gain. Also, like most sugars, HFCS can create addictive tendencies in those who consume it regularly in volume (see That Sugar Film for more details on how a high sugar 'Low Fat' diet can be dangerous to your health, and the addictive tendencies that result).

The World Health Organization has recommended that people limit their consumption of added sugars to 10% of calories, but experts say that typical consumption of empty calories in the United States is nearly twice that level.

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Midnight Zone

The area of the ocean beneath the twilight zone, extending from 3,000 feet (1,000 m) down to the ocean floor, where only about 1 percent of marine life can survive.

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Mitigation

Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. There are three naturally occurring isotopes, with 12C and 13C being stable, while 14C is radioactive, decaying with a half-life of about 5730 years. Carbon is one of the few elements known since antiquity. The name "carbon" comes from Latin language carbo, coal.

See the full entry on wikipedia

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Modal

Modal is 100% biodegradable and can make a great eco alternative to viscose. It's made from beech trees in Australia and needs few fertilizers or pesticides.

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Monoculture

The cultivation of a single species crop.

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Mould

A coating or discoloration caused by various saprotrophic fungi that develop in a damp atmosphere on the surface of stored food, fabrics, wallpaper, etc.

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Mutagenicity

A change in the genetic material of a living organism, usually in a single gene, which can be passed on to future generations.

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