Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "maganin gurɓata yanayi" shine aikin hana ko rage gurɓatar muhalli, musamman ta ayyukan ɗan adam. Yana nufin matakai ko ayyuka da aka ɗauka don ragewa ko hana illolin gurɓata muhalli da halittu masu rai. Wannan na iya haɗawa da yin amfani da hanyoyin samar da makamashi mai tsafta, rage sharar gida, sarrafa hayaki, da aiwatar da wasu ayyukan da ba su dace da muhalli ba.