The phrase “green-collar” was one of about 100 words and phrases added to the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. The dictionary defines “green-collar” as an adjective meaning “of, relating to, or involving actions for protecting the natural environment,” and dates the word to 1990.
Ada McMahon, a blogger at the site GreenForAll.org, isn’t all smiles about the new entry. She noted that the addition of “green-collar” reflects the rising popularity of the concept, but challenged the Merriam-Webster definition.
“Take it from the folks who helped coin the term,” McMahon wrote, “‘green-collar’ is a deliberate reference to blue-collar, a connection that Merriam-Webster fails to capture.”
McMahon suggested this definition instead: “A green-collar job is a blue-collar job, upgraded to improve the environment and fight climate change.”
Webster’s word pickers also added “carbon footprint” to the new edition of the dictionary, which is accessible online at www.m-w.com.
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