Glossary

The method of measurement is used to calculate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by an individual, entity or activity. The carbon footprint is increased when people burn fossil fuel for heating homes, producing or consuming foods, or for operating transportation. Carbon footprints are formed by both a primary footprint, which is a direct measure of emissions of Co2, and a secondary footprint, which is the indirect measure of Co2 emissions found in the full life cycle of products.

When carpet is replaced in a home or commercial building, the remnants of old carpeting must be disposed of responsibly. This process typically involves recycling the old material into a new product, rather than sending it to a landfill. When carpet recycling is not possible, carpet removers will be familiar with the best dump or landfill nearby. The process of hauling the carpet to a dump or recycling center can also be a daunting task, which is why it is often left to professional removal services.

This service is typically a part of the hauling options offered by trucking companies. Clearing might refer to land clearing, which involves removing all substances from a specific tract of land. This service is an important one in the trucking industry, because it ensures clients end up with land cleared of obstacles that could get in the way of construction or development. The trucking company is also responsible for providing the best way to haul the items to ensure they get somewhere secure.

Also referred to by its abbreviated name CNG, compressed natural gas may be used as a more environmentally-friendly fuel for vehicles converted for this purpose. This typically includes automobiles, but some school buses and trucks have also been converted to run on compressed natural gas. The gas is free of odor and color, and it is non-corrosive under pressure. Sources for natural gas include oil wells, coal bed methane wells and natural-gas-and-condensate wells.

Waste generated by construction, renovation and demolition of buildings, roads and other structures. The waste included in construction debris is often large, bulky and heavy, making removal of the debris a rather challenging task that requires special equipment and professional knowledge. Most of the construction debris handled today goes to landfills, although some substances found in this debris can be recycled into other products. Because recycling reduces loads in landfills and decreases strain on the environment, it is the preferred method for construction debris whenever possible.

A method of recycling concrete for a variety of uses. The excavated concrete is put through a crushing machine, where it can be broken down into different sizes of aggregate. Once it is crushed, it may be cleaned of additional rubble that found its way into the machine. Larger aggregates may be sent through the crusher more than once to get the preferred aggregate size. The crushed concrete can then be used for new construction projects, including roads, landscaping stone or erosion control.

A service typically provided to residential communities, curbside collection consists of placing household waste in large containers near the curb of the home for pick-up by larger waste management vehicles. Curbside collection began during the latter part of the 19th century, when some homeowners began generating enough waste to require the service. In most communities, collection is scheduled for the same day each week, to allow for ease and predictability of the collection process. Special receptacles might also be provided by the waste company for this purpose.