Green Glossary – GreenPosting

Greenhood Glossary

Below is a glossary GreenPosting has put together.

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Mad Cow Disease ²Introduction to Sustainability: Sustainable Dictionary "sustainable table" Retrieved 4/11/08
Common name for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a cattle disease that causes the brain to waste away. It takes about 4-7 years for cattle to show symptoms ofthe disease after being exposed to it, but once symptoms become visible the cattle die within weeks. One way this disease is spread is by feeding the meat from infected cattle to other cattle (meat from infected sheep may also cause the disease). This was a common practice on factory farms until the 1980s and 1990s when it was outlawed in most countries because it was found to cause BSE. At that time, thousands of cattle believed to have been exposed to BSE were killed to prevent further spread of the disease. Consuming beef from infected cattle causes a brain-wasting disease called new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans.

Magnet Therapy ⁴"Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Glossary of Terms." Retrieved 4/14/08
An alternative therapy in which magnetic fields are administered by application of magnets to certain parts of the body, by magnetic field-generating machines, or by magnetic mattresses or blankets. Magnet therapy has been promoted to diagnose and/or treat arthritis , cancer , circulatory disorders, diabetic neuropathy (nerve disease), fibromyalgia , HIV/AIDS, immune dysfunction, infection, inflammation, insomnia, multiple sclerosis , muscle pain, neuropathy, pain, rheumatoid arthritis , sciatica , stress and to increase energy and prolong life, There is no convincing evidence that magnet therapy is useful in any of these regards. Body magnets are contraindicated in people having radiology, an MRI or wearing a cardiac pacemaker . Also known as biomagnetic therapy or electromagnetic field therapy.

Massage ⁴"Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Glossary of Terms." Retrieved 4/14/08
The manipulation of muscle and connective tissue to enhance the function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being. Therapeutic massage can ease tension and reduce pain. Massage can be a part of physical therapy or practiced on its own. It can also be highly effective for reducing the symptoms of arthritis, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other disorders of the muscles and/or nervous system.

Material Safety Date Sheet (MSDS) ¹Greenopia.com glossary Retrieved 4/11/08
MSDS is a compilation of information on a given product’s chemicals, health and physical hazards, exposure limits, and necessary precautions for use.

Meditation ⁴"Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Glossary of Terms." Retrieved 4/14/08
A self-directed practice for relaxing the body and calming the mind. Most meditative techniques have come to the West from Eastern religious practices, particularly India, China, and Japan, but can be found in all cultures of the world. Until recently, the primary purpose of meditation has been religious, although its health benefits have long been recognized. It is now being further explored as a way of reducing stress on both mind and body.

Mercury ¹Greenopia.com glossary Retrieved 4/11/08
Organic substance found in some eye drops and ointments that is a possible human carcinogen. Studies show it is linked to possible human reproductive and developmental issues. Considered one of the 10 most unsafe substances found in beauty products.

Methane ²Introduction to Sustainability: Sustainable Dictionary "sustainable table" Retrieved 4/11/08
A gas given off by animal waste. It can be used as fuel, but the process to turn it into fuel is very expensive, so this is not done very often. Methane is a greenhouse gas, which means that it contributes to global warming.

Mobile Meat Processing Unit ²Introduction to Sustainability: Sustainable Dictionary "sustainable table" Retrieved 4/11/08
A slaughterhouse in a trailer that can be moved from one farm to another in order to accommodate small farmers and ranchers. The units drastically reduce the stress animals endure from being transported long distances.

Molting / Forced molting ²Introduction to Sustainability: Sustainable Dictionary "sustainable table" Retrieved 4/11/08
Part of a hen's natural reproductive cycle. After laying eggs for about a year, a hen loses her feathers and rests for a few weeks as new feathers grow in. This is called molting, or a molt, and it usually happens at the beginning of winter. On factory farms, hens are subjected to forced molting, where farm operators cause this process to happen rapidly by depriving hens of food and water for several days and altering the schedule of light and darkness in the confinement building. This way, all the hens molt simultaneously and over a very short time period.

Monoculture ²Introduction to Sustainability: Sustainable Dictionary "sustainable table" Retrieved 4/11/08
Monoculture is the destruction of a diverse ecosystem and replacement with a single species or crop. This is common practice in modern agriculture, where large acreages of crops are grown for sale to other regions or countries. Monocultures deplete the soil, and fruits and vegetables become more susceptible to pests and disease than those grown in a diverse crop environment, thus requiring larger amounts of chemical sprays.

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