July 2020

A community of organisms that depend on each other and the environment they inhabit. — Source: Environmental Protection Agency

The reduction of trees in a wood or forest due to natural forces or human activity such as burning or logging. — Source: Environmental Protection… Read More »Deforestation

A rich soil-like material produced from decayed plants and other organic matter, such as food and animal waste, that decomposes (breaks down) naturally. Most food… Read More »Compost

A change in the climate of a region over time due to natural forces or human activity. In the context of the UN Framework Convention… Read More »Climate Change

The breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of chemical elements from rocks, or both. — Source: Environmental Science for the AP®… Read More »Chemical weathering

An ethanol derived from cellulose, the cell wall material in plants. — Source: Environmental Science for the AP® Course 3rd Edition (3rd Edition) by Andrew… Read More »Cellulosic ethanol

The process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds. — Source: Environmental Science for the AP® Course 3rd Edition (3rd Edition) by Andrew… Read More »Cellular respiration

The limit of how many individuals in a population the environment can sustain. — Source: Environmental Science for the AP® Course 3rd Edition (3rd Edition)… Read More »Carrying capacity (K)

A chemical that causes cancer. — Source: Environmental Science for the AP® Course 3rd Edition (3rd Edition) by Andrew Friedland, Rick Relyea

An approach to stabilizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atmosphere. — Source: Environmental Science for the AP® Course 3rd Edition (3rd Edition) by… Read More »Carbon sequestration

Methods of promoting global CO2 reduction that do not involve a direct reduction in the amount of CO2 actually emitted by a company. — Source:… Read More »Carbon offsets

The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) was enacted to avoid imposing unfunded federal mandates on state, local, and tribal governments (SLTG), or the private sector.… Read More »Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (1995)

The purpose of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), is to fit regulatory requirements to… Read More »Regulatory Flexibility Act (1980)

The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) was enacted to minimize the paperwork burden for individuals; small businesses; educational and nonprofit institutions; Federal contractors; State, local and… Read More »Paperwork Reduction Act (1980)

The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) governs the process by which federal agencies develop and issue regulations. It includes requirements for publishing notices of proposed and… Read More »Administrative Procedure Act (1946)

Title IV of the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 created the Shore Protection Act of 1988 (SPA), which prohibits the transportation of municipal or… Read More »Shore Protection Act (1988)

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S. This law focuses on all waters actually… Read More »Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the “cradle-to-grave.” This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage,… Read More »Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976)

The Pollution Prevention Act focused industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials… Read More »Pollution Prevention Act (1990)

The Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 streamlined and strengthened EPA’s ability to prevent and respond to catastrophic oil spills. A trust fund financed by… Read More »Oil Pollution Act (1990)