environmental impact
noun phraseUK /ɪnˌvaɪ.rənˈmen.təl ˈɪm.pækt/
US /ɪnˌvaɪ.rənˈmen.t̬əl ˈɪm.pækt/
The way something changes the air, water, land, or living things around it.
Riding a bike instead of driving a car lowers your environmental impact.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The effect a company or product has on nature, often measured in studies.
The report measured the environmental impact of the new factory.
3. Harm done to nature by human activity.
Plastic waste has a serious environmental impact on the ocean.
4. The changes a building or project makes to its surroundings.
Planners checked the environmental impact before building the road.