Air travel
5 things you can do to Green Your Air travel
While transportation can take a heavy toll on the environment, there are several ways to reduce the burden when you travel. Consider some of the tips below to minimize your trip's environmental impact-on the ground and in the sky.
Fly on airlines with sustainable policies and practices
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From recycling to carbon offsets, some airlines are promoting policies that mitigate air travel’s environmental impacts. Find out if your frequent flyer miles are flying green!
Buy carbon offsets
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Mitigate your air travel emissions by purchasing carbon offsets that support eco-friendly projects around the world.
Hire a green limo or car service
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Whether you're going to the airport to catch a flight or shuttling to and from your hotel, hire an eco-friendly car service to get you there greener.
Drive a green rental car
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Once you arrive at your destination, choose a rental car company that offers fuel-efficient options, such as hybrid, electric, and biodiesel cars.
Travel by train or bus
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Avoid the long security lines at the airport and book a ticket on a train or intercity bus. Your trip will leave a lower carbon footprint and you might even enjoy the slower pace.
Comments
12:27pm
another easy way to cut back on your plastic cup usage on the flight is to simply bring a large bottle with you and ask the flight attendant to fill it up for you. you not only eliminate the need to waste unnecessary plastic cups but you'll have water at your side whenever you want it.
12:30pm
There are some figures on this page that need correcting. Air travel accounts for 2% of world CO2 emissions (UN IPCC figures). The IPCC has an updated study on radiative forcing (the multiplier effect of gasses other than CO2) and the latest research shows a multiplier of 1.9x CO2 effect alone. But it is important to remember that every human activity has a multiplier effect (road transport, power generation etc) and the normal background rate is 1.5x CO2 effect alone. The best way to incorporate all these numbers is to give a 'total climate impact'. The IPCC says is aviation accounts for 3% of total man-made climate impact.
Obviously, any figure is still too much and what this page does do is highlight just a few of the ways in which the aviation industry is working to reduce its climate impact even further. We are now producing aircraft (such as the A380 and Boeing 787) that have the same per-passenger per-kilometre fuel use as hybrid cars and with the advent of biofuels and the advances in technology being made, the industry will continue to strive for even greater efficiency. The air transport industry has established the website www.enviro.aero to open up the debate about aviation's climate change impact and profile just some of the ways in which the industry is making progress.
Haldane Dodd
Air Transport Action Group, Geneva
3:09pm
Haldane, thanks for that valuable contribution. it does look like the 7% figure is dated. the most credible figure i can find is 3.3% (contribution of aviation sector to global warming) published by WRI and IPCC. check out the link here:
http://www.wri.org/chart/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-flow-chart
also, great to know that enviro.aero is engaging the public to discuss all the issues surrounding the industry and the solutions ahead!
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