Flying will always use fuel, which means leaving a carbon footprint. The aviation industry, like Kulula, is making some impressive changes on the environmental front.
- Aviation produces only 2 percent of the world’s human-made emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2).
- In the European Union, air transport accounts for 3 percent of the CO2 emissions.
- Despite a growth in aviation travel at around 5 percent, emissions caused by aviation have only been around 3 percent.
- The new and improved aircraft’s are significantly more fuel efficient – at least 70 percent more than it was 40 years ago, and 20 percent better than 10 years ago.
- Airlines are aiming to better the environmental impact of the aviation industry by improving fuel efficiency by 25 percent by 2020.
- Modern aircraft like the B777 achieve fuel efficiencies of 3.5 litres or less per 100 passenger km.
- It is estimated that at least 95 percent of a plane can be recycled. In fact, aircraft manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing are designing their planes not just for safety, but for recycling purposes as well.
Many airlines have been taking impressive strides in its contribution to the environment. Here is a list of some of the greenest airlines in the world:
- Continental Airlines – Fuel efficiency on this airline has improved by an impressive 80 percent between the 1960s and the 1990s.
- British Airways is leading the way in developing bio-fuels. Thanks to a new deal with Solena Group, BA will produce 16 million gallons of eco-friendly bio-fuel derived from waste products by 2014.
- Virgin Atlantic – Not only has Virgin Atlantic being the first airline to operate a commercial
- flight
- powered in part by bio-fuel, this airline is also one of the few carriers to commit to recycling on-board waste. Chairman Richard Branson has also used his riches and pledged more than 2 billion pounds to fight global warming over the next ten years.
- Qatar Airways – Qatar Airways ran its first commercial passenger flight powered by natural gas derived fuel. The airline proudly runs its own Fuel Optimisation department. This department assesses on-board weight reduction methods as well as green take-off and landing procedures.
- Kulula Airways – This low-cost carrier is the greenest airline in South Africa thanks to the launch of their Project Green initiative. This initiative launched by Kulula started with planting 50 tress at Monde Primary School in Katlehong, Johannesburg. Kulula is the first airline in South Africa to embark on such a project. The aim of Project Green is to create public awareness around issues of carbon emissions.
Author bio
This article was written by Flightsite and offers advice on the environmental changes being implemented by various airlines, including Kulula.com.