572 vocabulary
Catchment, catchment area an area
of land that catches rainwater and
sends it downhill into streams and
rivers, or underground to be stored as
groundwater. Catchment is another
word for watershed, and also the
highest part of a watershed.
Cell the smallest part of any living thing.
All people, animals, and plants are
made of cells.
Certification program lets people who
buy products know that they were
grown in environmentally or socially
healthy ways. Crops can be certified
as organic, forest products can be
certified as sustainably harvested, and
so on. Certification may bring higher
prices to the seller.
Chemical body burden the amount of toxic
chemicals present in the human body
at any time.
Chlorine a strong chemical, commonly
called bleach, used to kill germs and
disinfect water. Chlorine is also used to
bleach paper and to make PVC plastic.
When products containing chlorine are
burned, they release toxic gases such as
dioxins and furans.
Chloroquine a medicine used to treat
malaria.
Cholera a disease caused by drinking
water or eating food contaminated by
bacteria. Often spread by dirty water,
cholera causes severe vomiting and
diarrhea.
Chromium a toxic heavy metal used in
leather tanning and other industries.
Chronic something that lasts for a long
time or that happens often. A chronic
illness lasts for many years and is
difficult to treat or cure. Compare with
acute.
Clindamycin an antibiotic used to treat
malaria and other infections.
Cistern a large tank for collecting and
storing water.
Clean production methods of
manufacturing that greatly reduce
or eliminate toxic wastes. Clean
production promotes the use of
renewable energy and materials.
Clear cut logging when most of the trees
in an area are cut down.
Climate the weather that a place has over
a period of time.
Climate change the way many places
now have different weather than they
used to have. Climate change is related
to global warming, and is caused by
burning fossil fuels.
Community all the people who live in
a certain area and interact with
one another. A community may be a
neighborhood or an entire village, or
it can be a group of people, such as
farmers, mothers, or people who attend
the same church, who share common
interests, common needs, and common
problems.
Community seed stewardship when
communities maintain a diverse
collection of seeds for the future and
keep careful records of them.
Compact, compaction when soil is pressed
down and becomes hard due to loss of
organic matter, excess irrigation, or
people or animals walking or driving
on it. Compacted soil cannot hold much
air or water, and leads to erosion.
Companion planting planting different
crops together to promote healthy
crops by reducing pest problems and
making the best use of soil nutrients.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012