Unit 10

Palabra

Definición

Ejemplo

carbon emissions 

are emissionsstemming from the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement

Fossil fuels like coal or oil produce high quantities of carbon emissions.

carpooling

if a group of people carpool, they travel together to work, school etc in one car and share the cost

We use carpooling in my office: two people have to travel in each car to use the company car park.

company image 

the manner which a corporation, firm or business presents themselves to the public (such as customers and investors as well as employees)

Being environmentally friendly is important for your company image.

consume 

to use time, energy, goods etc

We consume a lot less electricity now.

cost-effective 

bringing the best possible profits or advantages for the lowest possible costs

There was a need to find a cost-effective solution to power the new data centre.

data centre 

a building for storing important computer equipment safely, with systems for making the air in the rooms cool, protecting against fire, and preventing the equipment from being stolen

Large quantities of information are stored online in data centres.

e-billing 

the practice by which invoices or bills are electronically delivered or presented to customers, rather than being sent by post

We have decided to move to e-billing to save paper and reduce postage costs.

eco-friendly 

not harmful to the environment

I try to buy eco-friendly products that are made without polluting the environment.

energy consumption 

the amount of energy or power used

Our energy consumption is much higher in the winter because we have to heat the house.

energy production 

he capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) in a given direction by the application of force

Energy production is expensive in Finland.

energy-efficient 

using as little energy as possible

Do you use energy-efficient light bulbs?

factor 

one of several things that influence or cause a situation

The energy used by data centres makes them a significant factor in global warming

fossil fuel 

a fuel such as coal or oil that is produced by the very gradual decaying of animals or plants over millions of years

Fossil fuels like coal or oil produce high quantities of carbon emissions.

generate energy 

to produce energy

Big servers consume lots of energy, often generated from fossil fuels

global warming 

a general increase in world temperatures caused by increased amounts of carbon dioxide around the Earth

The energy used to power data centres is a significant factor in global warming.

green initiative 

has as its main objective the offsetting of Greenhouse gases emitted by human activities that can range from complex industrial production processes to simply driving a car, with reforestation project

Our company has a lot of green initiatives to help the environment.

measures 

an amount or unit in a measuring system

What measures are you taking to reduce waste?

organic 

relating to farming or gardening methods of growing food without using artificial chemicals, or produced or grown by these methods

We only use local, organic products in the staff restaurant.

overview 

a short description of a subject or situation that gives the main ideas without explaining all the details

First of all, I'll give you a quick overview of my talk.

pollute 

to make air, water, soil etc dangerously dirty and not suitable for people to use

Our electricity comes from fossil fuels, so every time you leave a light on, you're polluting the environment.

protect the environment 

to take care and not to pollute the nature

We need to reduce waste and try to protect the environment.

recycle 

to put used objects or materials through a special process so that they can be used again

The water heated by the servers is recycled to provide heating for up to 1,000 homes.

recycling

the process of treating used objects or materials so that they can be used again

Does your company provide bins for recycling?

reduce pollution 

make the pollution smaller

We are trying to reduce pollution by using cleaner energy from renewable sources.

regulations 

an official rules or orders

The government is bringout out new environmental regulations.

renewable sources 

a resources which can be used repeatedly and replaced naturally

It's important to develop renewable sources of energy like wind or water.

respect 

a careful attitude towards something or someone that could be dangerous

Many motorists don't respect the speed limit.

reuse 

to use something again

After the heat is extracted, the same water is reused to cool the servers again.

running costs 

are the amount of money that is regularly spent on things such as salaries, heating, lighting, and rent

Running costs are €7 per kilometre for the tram, but only €5 for the bus.

significant 

having an important effect or influence, especially on what will happen in the future

There has been a significant increase in the world's average temperature.

start-up costs 

the amount of money needed to start a new business, project etc

The start-up costs for the new initiative are very low.

storage 

the process of keeping or putting something in a special place while it is not being used

Some environmental problems are caused by the storage of large amounts of data.

take action 

do something official or concerted to achieve an aim or deal with a problem

I want to talk about the importance of taking action to combat climate change.

throw away 

to get rid of something that you do not want or need

So many products end their life in the bin, but one thing we rarely throw away is information.

turn down 

to turn the switch on a machine such as an oven, radio etc so that it produces less heat, sound etc

If you turn the heating down in warm weather, you will reduce your energy costs significantly.

turn off 

to make a machine or piece of electrical equipment such as a television, engine, lightetc stop operating by pushing a button, turning a key etc

Someone in our company started an initiative to turn off lights.

waste 

when something such as money or skills are not used in a way that is effective, useful, or sensible

You can reduce waste by recycling almost anything.

windfarm

a place where a lot of windmills have been built in order to produce electricity

Google has bought the complete output of a nearby windfarm for its new data centre.