Environment

Ecosystem valuation: methods, uses, and limitations Ecosystem valuation A balanced overview of ecosystem valuation: what it measures, common methods, applications in policy and conservation, and practical and ethical limitations.

Electronic waste (e-waste): causes, composition, impacts and management Electronic waste An overview of electronic waste: what it is, why it accumulates, common hazardous components, recycling and reuse approaches, and social and regulatory responses worldwide.

Endangered species Endangered species are plants, animals, or other organisms at high risk of extinction because of habitat loss, hunting, invasive predators, disease, pollution, or climate change.

Endemism — species native to and restricted within a specific place Endemism Endemism describes organisms that occur naturally only in a defined geographic area. This article explains types, causes, notable regions, conservation concerns, and how endemics d…

Endrin Endrin is a persistent organochlorine insecticide and rodenticide once widely used in agriculture. It is highly toxic, environmentally persistent, a stereoisomer of dieldrin, and i…

Energy conservation: principles, methods, benefits and policy Energy conservation Energy conservation is the practice of reducing energy use through behavior, technology and policy to save money, reduce emissions, and increase resilience.

Energy efficiency: principles, measures, history and practical applications Energy efficiency Energy efficiency means delivering the same service using less energy. This article explains how it works, key metrics and technologies, historical development, benefits, and disti…

Energy policy: objectives, instruments, history and contemporary challenges Energy policy Overview of energy policy: goals, tools, historical development, policy models, challenges such as security and climate, and the role of governments, markets and international coop…

Energy transition (Energiewende) Energy transition The energy transition is the systemic shift from fossil and nuclear systems to low‑carbon, renewable, efficient energy systems encompassing technology, policy, and social change.

Environment: definition, components, interactions, and human impacts Environment Comprehensive overview of the environment: its living and non‑living components, key interactions, historical concepts, practical importance, and distinctions across disciplines.

Environment of Florida: ecosystems, geology, water, and conservation Environment of Florida Comprehensive overview of Florida's environment: climate, wetlands and karst geology, water resources, human impacts, restoration efforts such as the Everglades plan, hazards, and…

Environmental factor: influences on organisms, ecosystems, and health Environmental factor Any external element affecting organisms or populations—physical, chemical, biological or human-caused—shaping ecology, health risks and management priorities across scales.

Environmental impact of aviation Overview of how aircraft operations affect climate, air quality and communities; key emissions, noise, growth trends, mitigation options and policy responses.

Environmental migration: causes, types, policy and responses Environmental migration Movement of people driven by environmental change, from sudden disasters to slow-onset processes; types, legal questions, examples, and policy approaches for adaptation and protect…

Environmentalism: philosophy, history, and contemporary practice Environmentalism Environmentalism is a social and intellectual movement that seeks to protect, restore, and use the natural world sustainably, covering beliefs, practices, policy, and debates about…

Environmentally friendly (eco‑friendly, green): meaning, practices and labels Environmentally friendly A clear guide to what ‘environmentally friendly’ means for products, services and policies, common practices and labels, how claims are assessed, and cautions such as greenwashing.

Erin Brockovich — environmental activist and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich Profile of Erin Brockovich, the non‑lawyer case investigator who helped expose groundwater contamination in Hinkley, California, inspired the 2000 film and continued public advocac…

Eutrophication: nutrient enrichment and ecological impacts Eutrophication Eutrophication is nutrient enrichment of water bodies—mainly from nitrogen and phosphorus—that fuels algal blooms, depletes oxygen, harms aquatic life and human uses, and can be ma…

Evapotranspiration: water transfer from land and plants to the atmosphere Evapotranspiration Evapotranspiration is the combined loss of water by evaporation and plant transpiration; it links soil, vegetation and climate and is central to hydrology, agriculture and weather…

Extinct in the Wild — conservation status and implications Extinct in the Wild Extinct in the Wild (EW) is a conservation status for taxa surviving only in captivity or entirely outside their native habitats; it guides recovery, reintroduction, and long-term…

Fen (minerotrophic wetland) Fen A fen is a minerotrophic wetland with neutral to alkaline water, high plant diversity, peat accumulation, and distinct management and conservation needs.

Fire Ecology: Role of Fire in Ecosystems, Adaptations, and Management Fire ecology Fire ecology examines how fire shapes ecosystems, the adaptations of plants and animals, historical and human influences, and how managers use prescribed fire to reduce risk and su…

Fire-stick farming: Aboriginal cultural burning and landscape management Fire-stick farming Traditional Aboriginal practice of using repeated, low-intensity fires to manage vegetation, aid hunting, promote food plants, shape habitats and reduce large wildfire risk.

Flint water crisis A public-health emergency that began in 2014 after Flint, Michigan changed its water source; failures in corrosion control caused lead contamination and a Legionnaires' outbreak, p…

Footprint: physical impressions, tracking, and digital traces Footprint A footprint is an impression or trace left by a foot or a metaphorical trail of activity. Covers physical, biological and digital footprints, their uses, preservation, and distinct…

Forest: definition, types, ecology, uses and conservation Forest A forest is a large area dominated by trees that forms a complex ecosystem. This article explains forest characteristics, major forest types, ecological roles, human uses, threats…

Forestry: Management, Roles, and Importance of Forests Forestry A clear overview of forestry: the practice of managing forests, services they provide, threats, management methods, historical development, and the education and roles of foresters…

Freeganism: practices, motivations, and social effects Freeganism Freeganism is an anti‑consumerist practice of reclaiming discarded goods to reduce waste, lower personal costs, and challenge mainstream consumption; overlaps with freecycling, dum…

Fresh water: sources, properties, uses, treatment and scarcity Fresh water A concise encyclopedia overview of fresh water: definition, natural sources, quality and treatment, human uses, causes of scarcity, management and conservation approaches.

Gamekeeper (countryside management and wildlife stewardship) Gamekeeper A gamekeeper manages countryside habitats and wildlife to sustain game for shooting and angling, combining husbandry, habitat work, law enforcement and modern conservation practice…

Gas-fired power plant A power station that burns natural gas to produce electricity; common for flexible generation and combined-cycle efficiency, but still emits greenhouse gases and faces transition c…

George Monbiot: environmental writer, campaigner and public intellectual George Monbiot Profile of George Monbiot, an English journalist and environmental activist known for his Guardian column, books on climate and rewilding, public campaigns and the ArrestBlair.org…

Ghost nets (derelict fishing gear) and their effects on marine life Ghost net Ghost nets are lost or abandoned fishing gear that continue to trap wildlife and pollute oceans. This article explains what they are, how they persist, their impacts, and approache…

Global 200: WWF's priority ecoregions for conservation Global 200 The Global 200 is a World Wide Fund for Nature initiative that identifies ecoregions worldwide as conservation priorities, guiding planning, funding, and awareness for terrestrial,…

Great Pacific Garbage Patch: overview, causes, impacts, and responses Great Pacific Garbage Patch A dispersed concentration of floating plastic and debris in the North Pacific gyre, formed by ocean currents; affects marine life, fisheries, and coastal regions and spurred resear…

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem A largely intact temperate-region ecosystem centered on Yellowstone National Park, spanning parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, notable for its wildlife, geothermal geology, resea…

Green Mansions: W. H. Hudson's Tropical Romance (1904) Green Mansions A 1904 novel by W. H. Hudson about Rima, a mysterious girl of the tropical forest, exploring themes of nature, civilization and tragic love; adapted for stage, film, opera and comi…

Habitat destruction: causes, impacts, and responses Habitat destruction Overview of habitat destruction: what it is, natural and human causes, ecological consequences, examples, and ways to reduce and restore damaged habitats.

Habitat fragmentation: causes, consequences, and responses Habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation is the breaking of large, continuous habitats into smaller, isolated patches. This article explains causes, ecological effects, key concepts, examples, and co…

Haskell-Baker Wetlands: ecology, history, and stewardship Haskell-Baker Wetlands Overview of the Haskell-Baker Wetlands near Lawrence, Kansas: location, natural features, ownership, biodiversity, history, uses, threats and conservation partnerships.

Hazard: types, assessment, and control Hazard An overview of hazards—conditions or agents with potential to cause harm—covering types, the difference from risk, identification and assessment, control measures, and common examp…

Haze: airborne particles that reduce visibility and affect health Haze Haze is reduced visibility caused by suspended particles in the atmosphere. It affects health, transportation, weather perception and is measured by particulate matter and visibili…

Heat wave: definition, causes, impacts, and response Heat wave A heat wave is an extended period of unusually high temperatures. This article explains definitions, causes (including high pressure and climate change), health and infrastructure…

Heath (heathland): ecology, characteristics, distribution and conservation Heath Heath (or heathland) is an open shrubland on acidic, low-fertility soils. This article outlines its traits, global distribution, ecology, cultural use, and differences from moorlan…

Holocene extinction The ongoing loss of many species since the end of the last glacial period, driven mainly by human activities (hunting, habitat loss, invasive species) and climate change; often cal…

Hurricane Edouard (1996): Category 4 Atlantic hurricane Hurricane Edouard (1996) Hurricane Edouard (1996) was the strongest storm of the Atlantic season, a Category 4 hurricane that stayed mainly offshore but produced dangerous surf, two drownings in New Jersey…

Hurricane Hazel (1954) — catastrophic storm in the Caribbean, United States, and Canada Hurricane Hazel Powerful October 1954 Atlantic hurricane that devastated Haiti, struck the U.S. Carolinas as a Category 4, and caused catastrophic inland flooding in Ontario; prompted long-term ch…

Hurricane Ismael (1995): formation, impacts, and aftermath Hurricane Ismael Hurricane Ismael was a 1995 Pacific hurricane that made landfall in Sinaloa, Mexico, producing large waves, ship losses and hundreds of casualties; it later brought heavy rains int…