Carbon: One of the chemical elements. Carbon is found in all fossil fuels (such as oil and coal). Burning these fuels releases the major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

Carbon Footprint: A measure of the impact human activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. A person's carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gasses they individually produce. It is typically measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Carbon Neutral: The practice of balancing carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, with renewable energy that creates a similar amount of useful energy, so that the net carbon emissions are zero. Alternatively, carbon neutrality can be achieved by using only renewable energy.

Carbon Offset: A donation or other act that aims to remove a certain amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Offsetting your carbon footprint will support greenhouse gas reduction projects and hasten the transition to a clean energy future.

Ecological or Environmental Footprint: A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. The size of a person's 'footprint' is equivalent to the amount of land and sea area needed to absorb the amount of waste a person produces.

ENERGY STAR for New Homes: Performance tested, third party verified and government backed - this label is your assurance that your new home is built to exact, energy efficient guidelines.

Greenhouse Gases: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect, increasing the Earth's temperature by reflecting infrared radiation back to the planet. The principal greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and chlorinated fluorocarbons.

Green Mortgage: A real estate finance transaction that provides money-saving incentives for going green and provides solutions and tools for minimizing the ecological footprint of the home.

LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design: Green building rating system that provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. LEED certified buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings are healthier work and living environments. There are four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum

Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.