To gauge their environmental impact on the planet, many companies are measuring their
carbon footprint. Carbon footprint is a measure of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
caused directly and indirectly by an organization, a product, an event, or a person. A substantial
portion of greenhouse gases are released naturally by farming, cattle, and decaying forests
and, to a lesser degree, by manufacturing and services. The most common greenhouse gas produced
by human activities is carbon dioxide, primarily from burning fossil fuels for electricity
generation, heating, and transport. Operations managers are being asked to do their part to
reduce GHG emissions.
Industry leaders such as Frito-Lay have been able to break down the carbon emissions from
various stages in the production process. For instance, in potato chip production, a 34.5-gram
(1.2 ounce) bag of chips is responsible for about twice its weight in emissions—75 grams per
bag (see Figure S5.2).