Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier recently announced its newest product; the CSeries airplane, which uses 20% less fuel than competing models. The CSeries could save airline companies up to $3 million in fuel costs over the average Boeing 737, not to mention reducing the carbon footprint of its flights. At a time when airlines are looking to pinch every penny, reducing fuel usage could become a high priority.
The move toward greener air travel benefits more than airlines’ pocketbooks. Flying emits CO2 emissions higher in the atmosphere, creating a phenomenon known as “radiative forcing” where emissions can have a greater impact on global warming at higher altitudes. However, scientists disagree about the extent to which radiative forcing exists, making it hard to know exactly how much flying contributes to the average traveler’s carbon footprint.
The moral of the story? It’s about time for more fuel efficient jets like the CSeries that can help reduce the carbon footprint of flying. For those flights you can’t avoid, choosing carbon offsets is another way to neutralize harmful greenhouse gases associated with air travel. In combination, these CO2 reduction strategies can help make our airlines a little greener.
At BeGreenNow.com individuals can learn about the environment and climate change, calculate their household's annual carbon footprint with a carbon calculator, purchase carbon offsets from a diversified offset portfolio, and purchase additional eco-products, or plant a tree.
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