carbon footprint

noun

Definition of carbon footprint

: the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period

Examples of carbon footprint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some have set targets for buying renewable energy and reducing their carbon footprints. — Mark Trumbull, The Christian Science Monitor, "From new leadership to Clean Power Plan, subtle shifts ripple through EPA," 11 July 2018 According to the new research, the carbon footprint of tourism is three to four times higher than previous estimates, accounting for about 8 percent of global carbon emissions. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Your Summer Vacation Is a Carbon Emissions Nightmare," 9 May 2018 The project is part of Saudi Aramco’s corporate carbon management strategy to proactively address global environmental challenges and reduce its carbon footprint. — Rebecca Maitland, Houston Chronicle, "Silver Sponsor: Aramco’s technology honored for industry contributions," 29 Apr. 2018 The industry's huge carbon footprint partly stems from its high fuel requirements, which are mostly satisfied by fossil fuels. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Cement Producers Are Developing a Plan to Reduce CO2 Emissions," 9 July 2018 Summer is the best time of year to eat locally grown while traveling, which also reduces the carbon footprint of shipping food long distances. — Anna Marden, BostonGlobe.com, "5 tips for an eco-friendly road trip," 19 June 2018 Cars and trucks are the biggest source of these emissions, so boosting the use of electric vehicles has been a key part of the long-term strategy for reducing the state’s carbon footprint. — Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times, "Washington law ordered public agencies to buy electric cars. They’re falling short, report says.," 3 June 2018 In the same time period the carbon footprint of tourism grew by 15%. — Deborah Netburn, latimes.com, "Global travel may be good for the soul, but its huge carbon footprint means it's bad for the planet," 7 May 2018 This is problematic for our houses, our wallets, our carbon footprints, and our waistlines. — BostonGlobe.com, "17 survival skills for modern adults," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carbon footprint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.