The State of Canada's Environment — 1996

Glossary of Selected Terms - R

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Sources for definitions

real gdp (gross domestic product): An indicator of overall economic growth in Canada. It is the value of the sum of physical quantities of goods and services produced, converted to a money valuation basis from which the year-to-year change in price has been eliminated (Market Data Group 1994).

recovery: The recovery of energy by using components of waste as fuel. Can also refer to the extraction of materials of value from the waste stream. See also recycling.

recyclable: Refers to such products as paper, glass, plastic, used oil, and metals that can be reprocessed instead of being disposed of as waste (Government of Saskatchewan 1991).

recycling: Set of processes for reclaiming, as a material input to a product or service system, material that would otherwise be disposed of as waste (adapted from International Organization for Standardization 1995).

regeneration: (also called reforestation) The renewal of a tree crop, which can be by the natural occurrences of seeding, sprouting from roots, suckering, or layering (commonly referred to as natural regeneration) or by sowing or planting (artificial regeneration) (adapted from Natural Resources Canada 1994).

renewable resource: Natural resource that is capable of regeneration (International Organization for Standardization 1995). Renewable resources can essentially never be exhausted, usually because they are continuously produced (e.g., tree biomass, fresh water, and fish).