This describes the ability of a material to be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms or other decomposers. Many different definitions and tests for biodegradability exist. Definitions of the different tests are available from the U.S. EPA, such as “Reliable scientific evidence that the entire product or package will completely break down and return to nature, i.e., decompose into elements found in nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal” (16 C.F.R. § 260.7 (b))

This describes a product or service that has the least environmental impact on resources:

ENERGY EFFICIENT means a product that is in the upper 25% of energy efficiency for all similar products, or that is at least 10% more efficient than the minimum level that meets federal standards. The term generally applies to electrical energy consumption

WATER EFFICIENT means low-flow use that is the least water-consumptive.

FUEL EFFICIENT means the highest rating in miles per gallon or lowest consumption of a convertible energy resource such as LPG, CNG, Natural Gas, or Oil, etc.

This is an authorized formal effort by a government entity to prioritize sustainability or environmental impact in the purchasing of commodities or services, or to include such considerations as part of evaluation criteria; an attempt to address environmental challenges by taking advantage of the government’s vast procurement power to create strong markets for environmentally friendly products and services. (Martin & Miller, 2006)

This stands for Environmental, Social, Governance and represents a sustainability metric that considers an organization’s environmental impact, social responsibility (diversity, human rights, consumer protections, etc.), and governance practices (business ethics, accounting, transparency, etc.). Beginning as a U.N. initiative, it is similar to the concepts “corporate responsibility” and “triple-bottom-line” and is most commonly used in capital investment.

This refers to the scientific process by which a product, process, or service is reviewed by a reputable and unbiased auditor (third party) to verify that a set of criteria, claims, or standards are being met. For sustainable purchasing, commodities and services that meet the standards are typically identified with an ecolabel.

This refers to the three primary elements of sustainability:

EQUITY- providing equal access to the natural resources that are needed to sustain societies around the globe. These resources include water, energy, and food, all of which come from the environment. Social disruptions divert resources from areas of greatest human need, reduce the capacity of societies to plan for the future, and generally threaten human well-being and the environment. The concept also includes inter-generational equity, providing future generations with the same resource potential as it currently exists.

ECONOMY- integrating social, cultural, environmental, health-related, and monetary/ financial aspects into our money supply chain. It must be ensured that more resources are not being used than can be replenished so that there will be resources and financial stability in the future. The challenge for sustainability is to curb and manage Western consumption and raise the standard of living of the developing world without significantly increasing its resource use and environmental impact.

ECOLOGY–managing resources today so they will continue to thrive and feed into biological cycles. Healthy ecosystems provide vital goods and services to humans and other organisms. By ensuring environmental adaptability and resilience, the adaptive capacity of the environmental system depended upon can be maintained and enhanced.