Don't forget to come out and learn more about energy at the annual Douglas County
Earth Day and Energy Fair

Alternative Energy:  Renewable energy sources, such as wind, flowing water, solar energy and biomass, which create less environmental damage and pollution than fossil fuels, and offer an alternative to nonrenewable resources. 

Bale: A compacted and tied cube of recyclable material such as waste paper, scrap metal, plastic bottles, or rags.

Bauxite: The ore from which most aluminum is made, usually mined from rainforest areas.

Biodegradable: Organic material capable of being converted into basic compounds of elements by  bacteria.

Biodiesel - An environmentally safe, low polluting fuel for most diesel internal combustion and turbine engines. Can be mixed with petroleum diesel fuel and stored anywhere petroleum is. Made from fresh or waste vegetable oils (triglycerides) that are a renewable energy source. Both commercially and privately made around the world. Relatively safe and easy to process when conscientiously approached. Benefits are substantially reduced engine emissions, even with as small a blend as 20% Biodiesel with 80%petroleum diesel.

Bottle Bill: A generic term for a container deposit law. Oregon was the first state to enact this legislation in 1971.

Compactor: A power-driven device used to compress and reduce the volume of wastes or secondary materials.

Compost: A noun that describes the rich organic product created by composting. Refers to an enriched product that when added to soil, increases its nutrient value. Also a verb that means to decay.

Composting: The degradation of organic material by microbes into a useful product.

Contaminant: An unwanted material that is harmful to the recycling process when included with a recyclable material. IE. Caps left on milk jugs and glass containers, or a Pyrex glass dish mixed in with glass
                jars.

Crusher: A mechanical device used to break secondary materials such as glass bottles into smaller pieces.

Cubic Yard: A measure of volume of material that would fit into a box one yard wide by one yard deep by one yard tall.

Cullet: Broken scrap glass material, usually prepared in uniform, small pieces.

Curbside Recycling: The generic term for scheduled recycling collection service to households. This service is mandatory in Oregon cities with 4,000 population or more.

Decompose: To decay or rot.

De-ink: The removal of ink, filler and other non-fiber material from printed waste paper.

Deposit: Money paid for an item which is refunded upon return of the used product.

Disposable: Designed to be thrown away after use.

Disposal: Discharging, depositing, dumping, incinerating, or placing of any waste into or on any land, air, or water.

Drop Box: A rectangular metal box, generally from 10 to 40 cubic yards in volume, that can be transported by a truck.

Dump: A place where waste is discarded. Generally refers to older sites where environmental regulations were minimal or non-existent.

Durable Product: An item that lasts a long time in spite of use.

Environment: All conditions, influences, and surroundings affecting the development or existence of organisms.

Environmental Impact: The effect a particular action or practice has on the environment or its components; land, air water.

Garbage: All waste considered worthless and thrown away.

Generate: To produce or originate.

Glass Containers: Glass bottles and jars used to package food, beer, liquor, wine, juice, soft drinks, medicine, toiletries, and chemicals.

Glassphalt: Trade name for a highway paving material in which recovered ground glass replaces some of the gravel normally used in asphalt.

Hazardous:  Substances which cause special problems because they are poisonous, explosive, corrosive, harbor disease-causing microorganisms, are radioactive, or dangerous for any other reason.

Heavy Metals: Metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury that are retained in the environment and are poisonous.

HDPE, High-density polyethylene: Plastic resin #2 used to produce milk jugs and other plastic products.

Incinerate: Burning wastes under controlled conditions to reduce the volume of solid wastes.

Inorganic: Not composed of once-living material. IE. Minerals are inorganic.

LDPE, low-density polyethylene: Plastic resin to make cellophane wrap, some squeeze bottles, and plastic grocery bags.

Leachate: The liquid that has percolated through solid waste and/or has been generated by decomposition of solid waste. Contains dissolved, extracted, or suspended materials. May contaminate ground or surface water, and is especially a problem in areas of high rainfall and porous, sandy soil.

Litter: Waste materials carelessly discarded in an inappropriate place.

Methane: A colorless, odorless gas that is produced by decomposition of organic material. It is commonly produced in a landfill by decomposing waste and can be collected and burned as fuel.

Mobius Loop: The name given to the three chasing arrows symbol used to indicate a recyclable product.

Mulch: An organic product produced at the Roseburg landfill by grinding up wood and yard waste left by residents and commercial businesses. Intended to be used as a soil addition to improve growing conditions, retain moisture, and supply minimal amounts of nutrients. Has less nutrient value than compost.

Municipal Solid Waste, MSW: Wastes generated by residents, businesses and institutions.

Natural Resources:  A material source of wealth occurring in nature such as timber, fresh water, wildlife, or a mineral deposit.

NIMBY: Stands for "Not In My BackYard." An attitude taken by citizens who want a particular service or function to take place, but not in the immediate vicinity in which they live, work, or play.

Nonrenewable:  Natural materials which, for one reason or another (rarity, time required to replace material, etc.) are finite and cannot be replaced.

Organic: Living or once living material.

Packaging: The wrapping, container, or sealing of a commodity.

PET, Polyethylene terephthalate: A plastic resin, with good insulating characteristics, used to manufacture plastic soda bottles and other clear containers. It is the most commonly recycled plastic.

Plastic: Man-made materials made from molecules (polymers) containing hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen. It can be molded, extruded, or cast into various shapes and films or spun into filaments and made into material, ie. carpet, clothing, etc.

Polypropylene, PP:  A light, highly resistant plastic resin used in packaging, coating, pipes, and tubes.

Post-consumer Waste: Discarded material from a residence or business after it has completed its useful life; ie. old newspapers.

Pre-consumer Waste: Discarded raw materials from a manufacturing or industrial process that are considered waste.

Precycle: Making choices prior to purchase to reduce the amount of waste generated from the purchase. IE. Buying in bulk, buying recyclable products and packaging, using reuseables, etc.

Polystyrene, PS: Plastic resin generally referred to as "Styrofoam" that is used in food containers, egg cartons, and packaging "peanuts."

Pulp: Fibrous material used to make paper and heavier paper board material.

Polyvinyl Chloride, PVC: Plastic resin used to make pipe.

Recyclable: A product made of materials that can be reused as material for new products.

Recycle: The collection and reprocessing of manufactured materials for reuse either in the same form or as part of a different product.

Reduce:  Lessen the amount, degree, extent, number, price, or in this case, amount of waste.

Renewable Resource: A natural resource which can be renewed or regenerated by natural cycles or sound management practices; ie. Trees and water.

Reuse: To extend the life of an item by repairing or modifying it or creating new uses for it, generally in its original form.

Sanitary Landfill: A site designated for the burial of wastes in which the waste is spread out, compacted and covered with a layer of dirt. The site is constructed to reduce hazards to public health and safety, and under federal law must include an impermeable lower liner to block the movement of leachate into ground water, a leachate collection system, gravel layers to control methane, and other special features.

Transesterification:  The process of converting waste or feedstock oil to Biodiesel. 

Vermiculture: The process of using worms and their by-products to produce partially decomposed organic material for use as a soil additive. 

Volume: The capacity of a container; amount.

Waste: Materials determined to be of no value and thrown away.

Waste Audit: The process of finding out the amount and kinds of waste produced in a given time period, at a given site.

Waste Stream: Term for all materials being thrown away, including items which could be recycled or burned for energy.

Waste Reduction: Reducing the amount of waste produced by careful buying, less wasteful practices, or reuse of materials.

Weight: A measure of the heaviness or mass of an object.

Earth Day Poster
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NOTE:
Learn more about
alternative energy here

NOTE:
Learn more about
recycling glass here

NOTE:
Learn more about
recycling Styrofoam here

NOTE:
Learn more about
your landfill here