diff --git a/app/models/environment.rb b/app/models/environment.rb
index 73fe8b3..915f8b5 100644
--- a/app/models/environment.rb
+++ b/app/models/environment.rb
@@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ class Environment < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
-  # the virtual community's terms of use: every user must accept them before
+  # the environment's terms of use: every user must accept them before
   # registering.
   def terms_of_use
     self.settings['terms_of_use']
   end
 
-  # sets the virtual community's terms of use.
+  # sets the environment's terms of use.
   def terms_of_use=(value)
     self.settings['terms_of_use'] = value
   end
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class Environment < ActiveRecord::Base
   # <tt>name</tt> is mandatory
   validates_presence_of :name
 
-  # only one virtual community can be the default one
+  # only one environment can be the default one
   validates_uniqueness_of :is_default, :if => (lambda do |environment| environment.is_default? end), :message => _('Only one Virtual Community can be the default one')
 
   # #################################################
diff --git a/app/views/account/index.rhtml b/app/views/account/index.rhtml
index 8f56ce4..e644494 100644
--- a/app/views/account/index.rhtml
+++ b/app/views/account/index.rhtml
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@
 
 <p>
 <%= link_to _('Logout.'), :action => 'logout' %>
-<%= _('It is always a good idea to make a logout when you finish using the virtual community.')%>
+<%= _('It is always a good idea to make a logout when you finish using the environment.')%>
 </p>
diff --git a/app/views/account/index_anonymous.rhtml b/app/views/account/index_anonymous.rhtml
index a4139bd..83f535e 100644
--- a/app/views/account/index_anonymous.rhtml
+++ b/app/views/account/index_anonymous.rhtml
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 <p>
 <%= link_to _('Login.'), :action => 'login' %>
-<%= _('You need to login to be able to use all the features in this virtual community.') %>
+<%= _('You need to login to be able to use all the features in this environment.') %>
 </p>
 
 <p>
 <%= link_to _('Sign up.'), :action => 'signup' %>
-<%= _('If you are not an user already, you can register now to become a member of this virtual community.') %>
+<%= _('If you are not an user already, you can register now to become a member of this environment.') %>
 </p>
diff --git a/app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml b/app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml
index dfc8d75..6c575e8 100644
--- a/app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml
+++ b/app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <h1><%= _('Administrator Panel') %></h1>
 
-<p><%= _('You, as an virtual community administrator, has the following options:')%></p>
+<p><%= _('You, as an environment administrator, has the following options:')%></p>
 
 <ul>
   <li><%= link_to _('Enable/disable features'), :controller => 'features' %></li>
diff --git a/app/views/features/index.rhtml b/app/views/features/index.rhtml
index d434a8f..d22d106 100644
--- a/app/views/features/index.rhtml
+++ b/app/views/features/index.rhtml
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 
 <%= render :partial => 'features_table' %>
 
-<%= help_textile _('Here you can enable or disable several features of your virtual community. Each feature represents some funcionality that your virtual community can use if you enable it.
+<%= help_textile _('Here you can enable or disable several features of your environment. Each feature represents some funcionality that your environment can use if you enable it.
 
-Check all the features you want to enable for your virtual community, uncheck all the ones you don\t want, and use the \'Save changes\' button to confirm your changes.') %>
+Check all the features you want to enable for your environment, uncheck all the ones you don\t want, and use the \'Save changes\' button to confirm your changes.') %>
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 27180e4..17c0f13 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ ActionController::Routing::Routes.draw do |map|
   ######################################################
   ## Controllers that are used by environment admin
   ######################################################
-  # administrative tasks for a virtual community
+  # administrative tasks for a environment
   map.admin 'admin', :controller => 'admin_panel'
   map.admin 'admin/:controller/:action/:id', :controller => Noosfero.pattern_for_controllers_in_directory('environment_admin')
 
   ######################################################
   ## Controllers that are used by system admin
   ######################################################
-  # administrative tasks for a virtual community
+  # administrative tasks for a environment
   map.system 'system', :controller => 'system'
   map.system 'system/:controller/:action/:id', :controller => Noosfero.pattern_for_controllers_in_directory('system_admin')
 
diff --git a/po/noosfero.pot b/po/noosfero.pot
index 179c8e6..6a00709 100644
--- a/po/noosfero.pot
+++ b/po/noosfero.pot
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ msgid "PersonInfo|Contact information"
 msgstr ""
 
 #: app/models/environment.rb:-
-msgid "virtual community"
+msgid "environment"
 msgstr ""
 
 #: app/models/environment.rb:-
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ msgid "Administrator Panel"
 msgstr ""
 
 #: app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml:3
-msgid "You, as an virtual community administrator, has the following options:"
+msgid "You, as an environment administrator, has the following options:"
 msgstr ""
 
 #: app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml:6
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ msgstr ""
 #: app/views/account/index_anonymous.rhtml:10
 msgid ""
 "If you are not an user already, you can register now to become a member of "
-"this virtual community."
+"this environment."
 msgstr ""
 
 #: app/views/account/change_password.rhtml:1
@@ -1087,11 +1087,11 @@ msgstr ""
 
 #: app/views/features/index.rhtml:5
 msgid ""
-"Here you can enable or disable several features of your virtual community. "
-"Each feature represents some funcionality that your virtual community can "
+"Here you can enable or disable several features of your environment. "
+"Each feature represents some funcionality that your environment can "
 "use if you enable it.\n"
 "\n"
-"Check all the features you want to enable for your virtual community, "
+"Check all the features you want to enable for your environment, "
 "uncheck all the ones you don\t want, and use the 'Save changes' button to "
 "confirm your changes."
 msgstr ""
diff --git a/po/pt_BR/noosfero.po b/po/pt_BR/noosfero.po
index 91973f8..0473028 100644
--- a/po/pt_BR/noosfero.po
+++ b/po/pt_BR/noosfero.po
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ msgid "PersonInfo|Contact information"
 msgstr "Informação de contato"
 
 #: app/models/environment.rb:-
-msgid "virtual community"
+msgid "environment"
 msgstr "comunidade virtual"
 
 #: app/models/environment.rb:-
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ msgid "Administrator Panel"
 msgstr "Painel do Administrador"
 
 #: app/views/admin_panel/index.rhtml:3
-msgid "You, as an virtual community administrator, has the following options:"
+msgid "You, as an environment administrator, has the following options:"
 msgstr ""
 "Você, como administrador de comunidade virtual, tem as seguintes opções:"
 
@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@ msgstr "Registre-se."
 #: app/views/account/index_anonymous.rhtml:10
 msgid ""
 "If you are not an user already, you can register now to become a member of "
-"this virtual community."
+"this environment."
 msgstr ""
 "Se você ainda não é um usuário, você pode se registrar agora e se tornar um "
 "membro desse comunidade virtual."
@@ -1100,11 +1100,11 @@ msgstr "Habilitar/Desabilitar funcionalidades"
 
 #: app/views/features/index.rhtml:5
 msgid ""
-"Here you can enable or disable several features of your virtual community. "
-"Each feature represents some funcionality that your virtual community can "
+"Here you can enable or disable several features of your environment. "
+"Each feature represents some funcionality that your environment can "
 "use if you enable it.\n"
 "\n"
-"Check all the features you want to enable for your virtual community, "
+"Check all the features you want to enable for your environment, "
 "uncheck all the ones you don\t want, and use the 'Save changes' button to "
 "confirm your changes."
 msgstr ""
diff --git a/test/fixtures/design_boxes.yml b/test/fixtures/design_boxes.yml
index 671eb95..12a5ddd 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/design_boxes.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/design_boxes.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # Read about fixtures at http://ar.rubyonrails.org/classes/Fixtures.html
-# none: creating a virtual community alerady creates its boxes. Thanks to
+# none: creating a environment alerady creates its boxes. Thanks to
 # acts_as_design
diff --git a/test/integration/routing_test.rb b/test/integration/routing_test.rb
index 8c88691..93cb94a 100644
--- a/test/integration/routing_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/routing_test.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class RoutingTest < ActionController::IntegrationTest
     assert_routing('/myprofile/ze', :profile => 'ze', :controller => 'profile_editor', :action => 'index')
   end
 
-  # virtual community administrative controllers (admin/*)
+  # environment administrative controllers (admin/*)
   ################################################################
 
   def test_admin_panel_controller
diff --git a/test/unit/environment_test.rb b/test/unit/environment_test.rb
index 4528aad..8e773a3 100644
--- a/test/unit/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/environment_test.rb
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_terms_of_use
-    v = Environment.new(:name => 'My test virtual community')
+    v = Environment.new(:name => 'My test environment')
     assert_nil v.terms_of_use
-    v.terms_of_use = 'To be part of this virtual community, you must accept the following terms: ...'
+    v.terms_of_use = 'To be part of this environment, you must accept the following terms: ...'
     assert v.save
     id = v.id
-    assert_equal 'To be part of this virtual community, you must accept the following terms: ...', Environment.find(id).terms_of_use
+    assert_equal 'To be part of this environment, you must accept the following terms: ...', Environment.find(id).terms_of_use
   end
 
   def test_has_terms_of_use
--
libgit2 0.21.2