Information For Action www.informaction.org
- A
- Acid Rain
- Rain that has harmful acidic gases in it. These gases are mainly formed by the burning of fossil fuels.
- Algae
- Plant-like living things that grow in water, such as seaweed, kelp or pond scum.
- Antibiotics
- A type of medicine that kills germs inside us called bacteria.
- B
- Bacteria
- Germs that make us sick.
- Biodiversity
- The word used to describe all the different types of plants and animals on earth.
- Biodegradable
- A material that can be broken down by natural processes into something that does not harm the environment in any way.
- C
- Climate
- The usual pattern of weather in a place or region. Climate involves temperature and rainfall.
- Community
- A group of people with who live in the same area or who share common interests.
- D
- Deforestation
- The cutting down and burning of trees in a forest, until most of them are gone.
- E
- Environment
- Includes everything that surrounds you, such as air, water, food, land, animals and humans.
- Environmental Disaster
- A disaster that happens because of something humans have done. It can include forests being destroyed or species of animals dying.
- F
- Fossil Fuels
- They are fuels such as coal, oil and gas. These fuels get the name 'fossil' because they were made a long time ago from very old plants and animals.
- G
- Global Warming
- The earth's temperature becoming hotter and hotter, mainly because of humans burning fossil fuels.
- Greenhouse Gases
- Gases that we use on Earth, such as carbon dioxide, which go into the atmosphere. They trap heat in the atmosphere and can cause global warming.
- Groundwater
- Water that is below the earth's surface. It is stored in soil and rock beneath the surface of the earth.
- I
- Irrigation
- When water is used on crops, lawns or other plants using things like pipes and sprinklers.
- L
- Landfills
- A large, outdoor area where waste is put. They are sometimes referred to as dumps.
- M
- Military
- A large group of people, weapons and machinery that form an army. A military fights for a country during a war.
- N
- Natural Resources
- Something that is found in nature, such as minerals, trees, plants, animals or water.
- Non-Renewable Energy
- An energy resource that is not replaced naturally or is replaced only very slowly by natural processes. Fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal are examples of non-renewable energy resources.
- O
- Organically Grown Products
- Something that is created without the use of pesticides, hormones, drugs or any unnatural chemicals. Organic food, for example, is food that has been grown without the use of these things.
- P
- Plankton
- Tiny animals and plants that live in the ocean. They are a very important source of food for many sea creatures, such as fish.
- Pollutants
- Anything that causes harm to soil, water or air. Pollutants include materials such as smoke or garbage.
- Power Plant
- A factory where the pellets of uranium are heated inside reactors and made into electricity.
- R
- Radioactive
- When atoms give off high-energy waves called radiation, they are radioactive.
- Rainforests
- Large forests found in warm, wet regions of the world. They are homes to millions of plants and animals.
- Renewable Energy
- An energy resource that can be replaced or renewed naturally. Wind energy and solar energy are examples of renewable energy resources.
- Resource
- Something that humans need for living or to improve the quality of life.
- S
- Sewage
- The wastewater produced from households and industries.
- Super Bugs
- Bacteria that become so used to antibiotics, that the antiobiotics can no longer kill them.
- T
- Topsoil
- The surface layer of soil, where plants have most of their roots.
- U
- Ultra-Violet Rays
- Invisible rays of light that come from the sun.
- Uranium
- The heaviest element found in nature and the basic material for nuclear technology.
- V
- Vegetation
- All the plant life in an area of land.
- W
- Waste
- Unwanted material such as garbage that is left over after something is made. Places like factories create a lot of waste.
- Water Current
- The flow of water in a definite direction, in places like oceans or rivers.
- Water Pollution
- Pollution of the water in rivers, lakes, streams or oceans. This happens when pollutants such as waste go into the water and damage the quality of the water.
