Report Sounds Warning Over Aircraft Pollution

[buzzsaw_23]

Report sounds warning over aircraft pollution

Staff and agencies
Wednesday September 21, 2005


Pollution from aircraft is set to grow so rapidly that all homeowners, car drivers and businesses will have to reduce their carbon dioxide output to zero for levels to remain safe, a new study warned today.

The study, carried out by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, says that even if the growth in air travel were halved, the rest of the economy would need to cut greenhouse gas emissions far beyond the government's target of 60% by 2050.

"If the UK government does not curb aviation growth, all other sectors of the economy will eventually be forced to become carbon neutral," Dr Kevin Anderson, who led the study, said.

His colleague Dr Simon Shackley said the failure of global governments to think about air travel meant the proposed targets would not achieve safe pollution levels.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1574943,00.html

[Big Kahuna]

1. Maybe we can convert the planes

to run on grease?

It is my understanding that Jet fuel is identical to deisel and home heating fuel. They add some kind of dye to deisel, to show that it has been taxed.

I know several people who have converted their deisel cars to run on vegetable oil. They not only get their fuel for free, from local restaurants, they also pass emissions tests with flying colors!

I am no aerospace engineer, but on grease-cars, the major modifications you need to make to the vehicle are a heating system for the grease tank and fuel lines, and a switching system to change from deisel to grease once the system warms up.

[htuttle]

3. I think jet fuel is kerosene

That is one step above fuel oil on the refinery products ladder.

#2 Diesel and home heating oil are identical however.

[henslee]

2. Time to bring back dirigibles.