| Term | Definition |
| Command and Control Regulation Pollution | control laws that work by setting pollution ceilings |
| Conservation | sensible and careful management of natural resources |
| Deforestation | temporary or permanent of large expansion of forests |
| Degradation | process that decreases future ability of land to support crops |
| Economics | study of how people use limited resources to fulfill their needs. |
| Emission Charge | taxes on pollution |
| ERC | waste discharge permit |
| EIS | helps federal officials and the public make informed decisions |
| Environmental Movement | group of environmentalists |
| External Costs | harmful side effect of production or consumption of a product |
| Incentive Based Regulation | pollution control laws |
| Kyto Protocol | treaty signed to reduce C0^2 emissions by 2012 |
| Marginal Cost of Pollution | cost in environmental change of a unit of pollution |
| Marketable Waste Discharge Permit | permits allowing the holder to pollute a given amount |
| Montreal Protocol | international negotiations |
| National Emission Limitations | maximum permissable amount of a particular pollutant |
| NEPA | US federal law that is the cornerstone of US environmental policy. |
| Natural Capital | Earth's resources and processes |
| Natural Resources | anything from the environment that meets a particular species needs |
| Negative Externality | (external cost) |
| Optimum Amount of Pollution | pollution that is economically most desirable |
| Preservation | protection areas from human activities |
| Salvage Logging | when weakened trees are harvested |
| Sink | depended for waste products |
| Source | depended on for raw materials |
| Unfunded Mandate | federal requirements imposed on state and local governments |