Cut through the complexity with edie’s new sustainability Jargon Buster

Have you ever found yourself tuning out of a discussion or glazing over when reading an article due to the sheer volume of meaningless jargon that is proliferating the sustainable business sphere? Or perhaps you have difficulty translating some of the key terms to people outside of our community?

Never fear, edie’s Jargon Buster is here! We thought it was time to simplify sustainability and break down divisions by getting you straight to the definition, explanation and content that you need.

At the top of this page (at the top of any page on the edie website, in fact), you will see the new JARGON BUSTER tab which will provide you with a full list of terms. Each term can be clicked on to view a dictionary-style definition of that term along with a list of related articles and suggested terms. From anaerobic digestion to zero-carbon homes, the Jargon Buster has got it covered.

But this is just the beginning. The world of sustainable business is ever-evolving and we know there are more terms that can be added to the Jargon Buster – so you can do exactly that. The ‘suggest a definition’ form on the right-hand side of the Jargon Buster page allows edie readers to input their own terms, so that the list continues to grow and remain relevant.

We also understand that a lot of the terms contained within our Jargon Buster will require a whole lot more than a simple definition in order for people to understand the ‘how’ and the ‘why’. So, on occasion, our definitions will go a step further, providing you with an in-depth analysis of what the concept means and how you can apply it to your business.

Our definition of ‘science-based targets’ is a great example of a term we have taken this extra step for. You’ll see we have provided a full overview of the concept along with some fascinating facts and top tips to help any organisations that are looking to take a science-based targets approach to sustainability.

Most importantly, we hope you enjoy this new Jargon Buster, and encourage you to share it with anybody who you feel may benefit from a quick look. Too often, good intentions in the sustainability and energy management spheres are mired in linguistic incoherence. This new section of the edie website has been put together to help you translate the key issues, initiatives and innovations into a common language that will help us achieve the systemic transformation we aspire to.

Now, get busting that jargon!

— View the full A-Z sustainability Jargon Buster —