Greenhood Glossary

Below is a glossary GreenPosting has put together.
DDebt Swap 3"The Dictionary of Sustainable Management." Presidio School of Management. Retrieved 4/18/08Also referred to as a debt-for-nature swap, debt swap involves purchasing a portion of a nation’s public debt at a discount, and converting the debt into local currency to be used to finance local conservation activities, such as preserving land. This process traditionally occurs between a developing nation with large debt and one or more of its creditors, and is facilitated by international conservation organizations.
Dematerialization 3"The Dictionary of Sustainable Management." Presidio School of Management. Retrieved 4/18/08Reducing the total material that goes toward providing benefits to customers. May be accomplished through greater efficiency, the use of better or more appropriate materials, or by creating a service that produces the same benefit as a product.
Dibutyl Phthalate 1Greenopia.com glossary Retrieved 4/11/08Toxin found in some nail polish, perfume, and hair spray. Studies show it is linked to possible reproductive and developmental issues. Considered one of the 10 most unsafe substances found in beauty products.
Dioxins 2Introduction to Sustainability: Sustainable Dictionary "sustainable table" Retrieved 4/11/08A man-made pollutant with an array of health risks in humans. Potent toxics, they act as endocrine disruptors (interfering with the body's natural hormone signals), damage the immune system, and may affect reproduction and childhood development. Dioxins are "persistent" compounds which drift around the world, and then tend to accumulate in fatty tissues of animals and humans. 95% of typical human exposure comes through dietary intake of animal fats such as meat, dairy and eggs.
Dow Jones Sustainability Index 3"The Dictionary of Sustainable Management." Presidio School of Management. Retrieved 4/18/08Created in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index is one of the first global indexes watching the financial performance leading companies with an emphasis on sustainability in economic, social, and environmental capacities. The DJSIs emphasize long-term corporate performance and positive risk/returns. The DJSIs are audited using a special framework from the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), called ISAE 3000, designed for assurance engagements other than auditing of historical financial information, for example,:
• Environmental, social and sustainability reports
• Information systems, internal control, and corporate governance processes
• Compliance with grant conditions, contracts and regulations.
http://www.sustainability-indexes.com/
Downcycle 3"The Dictionary of Sustainable Management." Presidio School of Management. Retrieved 4/18/08Most recycled industrial nutrients (materials) lose viability or value in the process of recycling. This means they can only be used in a degraded form for components other than their original use. White writing paper, for example, is often downcycled into materials such as cardboard and cannot be used to create more premium writing paper.