green-collar

[green-kol-er]

adjective

1. noting or relating to workers, jobs, or businesses that are involved in protecting the environment or solving environmental problems.

   green-collar careers in renewable energy and other technologies.

2. noting or relating to actions that negatively affect the environment.

   green-collar crime such as illegal logging.

noun

1. a green-collar worker.

green-collar

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating workers involved in environmental protection, or employed by companies that have protection of the environment as a stated aim

Word History and Origins

Origin of green-collar¹

First recorded in 1990–95; green (in the sense “environmentally sound or beneficial”), on the model of blue-collar ( def. ), blue-collar ( def. )