carbon footprint

noun

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

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

Recent Examples of carbon footprint from the Web

Pollution would increase, too, because barges account for a much smaller carbon footprint than rail and trucks.

— meg jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The Mississippi River lock and dam system is critical to the economy. But it's falling apart fast.," 1 June 2018
The heir to the throne is Prince Charles, 69, who goes on about carbon footprints, organic manure, holistic medicines — and his hatred of modern architecture.

— karla adam, Washington Post, "After the royal wedding, will Meghan Markle have to rein in her activism?," 18 May 2018
Growing food locally for the firm's 30 UAE clients – mainly restaurants and hotels – means a smaller carbon footprint, and saves on transport costs.

— rabiya jaffery, The Christian Science Monitor, "UAE tries vertical farming to produce food with little water," 10 May 2018
In order to get these fashions to us from where they are manufactured overseas, the carbon footprint can be astronomical.

— elizabeth wellington, Philly.com, "'And We Evolve': The Philly business designed to help fashionistas shop conscientiously | Elizabeth Wellington," 23 May 2018
One study done by the Australian government in 2007 found that plastic bags also have a lower carbon footprint than paper bags.

— alessandra potenza, The Verge, "Are cotton totes better for the Earth than plastic bags? It depends on what you care about," 12 May 2018
The ship is also said to have a smaller carbon footprint than any other fishing vessel in its region.

— colin grabow, WSJ, "The Jones Act Drives America’s Finest Into Exile," 29 Apr. 2018
Your journey would be safe and comfortable, your carbon footprint almost non-existent.

— alice bonasio, Ars Technica, "Is it time to take the Hyperloop seriously?," 4 Mar. 2018
Whenever possible, choose meat and vegetables that come from farms producing both: this method of agriculture is the most natural way to ensure soil health and a small carbon footprint.

— emily monaco, Good Housekeeping, "Why It’s More Important To Be An Ethical Omnivore Than A Vegetarian," 27 Apr. 2017

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.