Carbon footprint

The term carbon footprint is how much carbon goes into the air because of something done by people or that is not done by nature. Doing something that burns fuel will make carbon dioxide gas (CO2). It is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide. Just as walking on the sand leaves a footprint, burning fuel leaves carbon dioxide in the air, which is called a carbon footprint. Total carbon footprint/emission would include energy emissions from human activities - that is, from heat, light, power, and refrigeration and all transport related emissions from cars, freight, and distribution.

The words "carbon footprint" are often seen in the news. They are used with the word sustainability, which means that we can keep doing something without making something bad happen. That is, if there is too much of a carbon footprint, then there is no sustainability. People and businesses are frequently asked to think about how much carbon they are putting into the air, and how this changes the environment and maybe causes global warming. This is typically said about travelling by aeroplane or by car, because burning fuel makes carbon dioxide gas.