carbon footprint
20
3.8
- noun
- /ˈkɑrbən ˈfʊtˌprɪnt/
:
huella de carbono
- To combat climate change, we must all work to reduce our carbon footprint by choosing sustainable practices.
- reduce your carbon footprint
They always provide a Learjet and the carbon footprint is disgusting.
- They always provide a Learjet and the carbon footprint is disgusting.
- I mean, what is the traveller's responsibility in terms of carbon footprint and cultural awareness?
- But what is the scientific when you say we're leaving a carbon footprint, what does that mean with respect to our atmosphere?
- They have to be built from something by someone, and the materials that transport and the construction itself have a carbon footprint.
- We need to prove that in our clinics, in our hospitals there and in our universities, medical universities, we need to reduce our kind of carbon footprint.
- So you're saving your carbon footprint and it's amazing.
- Yeah, to use this, would that reduce the carbon footprint or private forests?
- The market lives on metrics and to have a good metric, we need to fix carbon footprint.
- And what I said is that actually most of these young women are in countries where they need to have a higher carbon footprint.
Examples
-
With newer technologies and proper placement, engineers are helping to lower our carbon footprint.
Academic text (2012) -
We would like to lower the carbon footprint of United States.
-
How products are made, where the material comes from, and the carbon footprint left behind.
Blog text (6) -
In fact, the largest carbon footprint is usually the drive to the store.
Blog text (4) -
So let's have a think and a look into the carbon footprint of our food.
-
As of right now I'm reducing my carbon footprint.
-
So companies that want or need to reduce their carbon footprint have a second good reason to migrate to the cloud now.
-
A western New York company is tackling one of the world's largest carbon footprints.
Blog text (6) -
We continue to reduce our carbon footprint and to recycle evermore waste.
-
Anna and Colleen: What are the environmental impacts and the carbon footprint of pets?
Academic text (2013)
Synonyms
37
3.8
The amount of greenhouse gases a person, group, or product produces
How Large
20
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although 'footprint' can metaphorically mean an impact or trace, and 'carbon' is a known element, the specific sense 'amount of greenhouse gases (CO2) emitted' depends on environmental knowledge and the metonymic use of 'carbon' for emissions. The construction is somewhat predictable once learners know the environmental metaphor (and many languages use similar calques), but a B1 learner who only knows the literal meanings would likely not fully derive the technical meaning.
Etymology
Carbon footprint uses the image of a footprint, a mark left by a foot, together with carbon, meaning carbon dioxide and similar gases, so you can picture a footprint made of smoke. That's why it now means the 'amount of greenhouse gases' a person, company, or product makes.