How does the concept of carbon footprint shift environmental responsibility from corporations to individuals?

The carbon footprint concept strategically redirects environmental accountability from major corporations to individual consumers. This narrative encourages people to focus on their personal, often minimal contributions to environmental problems rather than addressing the massive industrial impact of large companies. By promoting individual responsibility through carbon footprint awareness, corporations effectively deflect attention from their significant environmental damage. This allows mega-corporations to continue environmentally harmful practices while making individuals feel both guilty about their impact and satisfied with small personal changes. The strategy creates a false sense of environmental progress by emphasizing personal actions while the largest contributors to environmental degradation continue operating with minimal accountability or systemic change.