TerraCurve.com: Go beyond green. | Responsible travel news, places, people and events. » carbon

Building a Green Economy with a new online community

Kristen Geis — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:59:33 +0000

A new website, Low Carbon World, has launched as a joint project between LowCarbonEconomy.com and the United Nation’s Climate Neutral Network (CN NET) aims to facilitate the move to global low carbon economies, a necessary imperative if we are to combat dangerous and escalating climate change.

The “Low Carbon World” website was designed to serve as a web-based communications platform tol assist knowledge transfer and simplify access to information and tools that can be difficult to trace.

www.LowCarbonEconomy.com will list every country’s carbon policies, commitments, historical performance, future projections and opportunities, as well as country-specific marketplaces, networks, associations and standards which are relevant to government departments and investment agencies.

“Everyone agrees that the transition to a low carbon economy is an environmental and economic imperative, and will require increased collaboration globally – particularly between public and private sectors. Until now, access to the necessary low carbon information has been extremely restricted and very time consuming. With this project we have changed that and we look forward to continuing to work with UNEP and other major partners over the coming months and years,”said Toddington Harper, TLCE’s Managing Director.

Annual global greenhouse gas emissions should not exceed 40 to 48.3 Gigatons (Gt) of equivalent C02 in 2020, if a rise in global temperatures is to be curbed at 2 degrees C or less, whilst between 2020 and 2050, global emissions ideally need to fall by between 48 per cent and 72 per cent.

“The solutions for the transition to a low carbon economy already exist, and it is a question of removing barriers for rapid and mass uptake. These barriers include technical, financial and informational aspects. I look forward to seeing this project develop further”,said Achim Steiner UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UNEP.

The Climate Neutral Network (CN Net) celebrated its second anniversary at UNEP’s 11th Special Session of the Governing Council in Bali, Indonesia by hosting a side event titled “High hopes, low carbon – making it work!” The side event showcased work and success stories undertaken between CN Net and The Low Carbon Economy Ltd (TLCE) over the past 12-months.

The home page for the ‘Low Carbon World’ initiative is available on http://www.lowcarboneconomy.com/Low_Carbon_World/Data/Home and will soon also be available on UNEP’s Climate Neutral website www.unep.org/climateneutral.

Is COP15 on the right track, or a losing battle?

Joe Ascanio — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:26:28 +0000

With the Copenhagen Climate Conference off and running, former Vice President Al Gore takes a hard look at the numbers, and doesn’t like what he sees.

According to the Nobel Laureate and veteran climate campaigner whose name has become synonymous with global warming, Mr. Gore suggests that the targets to be outlined at COP15 are not nearly enough to combat the gloom and doom of climate change facing the planet today.

“Even if a deal is reached at the UN climate change talks in Copenhagen…it will only be the first step towards the far more radical cuts that are needed in global carbon emissions,” said Gore.

According to Gore, world leaders need to enact far more drastic measures in order to avoid the worst ramifications of global warming.

“Even a final treaty will have to set the stage for other tougher reductions at a later date,” he said. “We have already overshot the safe levels of CO2 in the atmosphere.”

At present, the set goal for the summit is to stabilize CO2 emissions at or below 450 parts per million. This reduction is supposed to be enough of a change to prevent a rise in average global temps of 2 degrees Celsius. Gore, however, suggests that his goal is not sufficient to get the job done, and that a much surer bet would be a reduction to 350 parts per million.

“Are we doing enough?” he asked. “The answer is obviously no — 450 is not the right target. But it is presently seen as beyond the capacity of governments around the world. We are stretching the capacity of governments even to hit a 450 target.”

“We are gambling with the future of human civilisation in accepting odds that by any definition make our present course reckless . . . But it’s still the most likely path to success.”

Pressuring Obama

Gore, an advocate for President Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign, is challenging the President to include more stringent cuts in carbon emissions than the current ofering of a 17% reduction by 2020.

With the US being the planet’s second-largest carbon polluter, Gore states that country’s reduction figure is “weaker than it should be”. However, he suggests that the real roadblock for Obama is getting tough carbon regulation through the House of Representatives.

“I’m glad that he is putting reduction targets on the table. I wish that they were stronger but I recognise the difficulties he faces in the Senate.”

Playing the carbon markets

Gore supports an international carbon taxation system as a means to cut fossil-fuel emissions, yet is cautious that current political struggles will get in the way for a meaningful resolution.

With perhaps years to go until such a system can be put into place, the former Vice President suggests, for the interim, a carbon emissions trading system as a more realistic “first step”. He has been criticized for this viewpoint by many on both sides of the aisle who do not view carbon markets as a solution to climate change.

“The correct policy response will include both of these powerful tools,” he added. “But the degree of political difficulty associated with a carbon tax is a degree of difficulty much higher than the cap and trade approach.”

Put away the pitchforks, people – climate change is still real

Joe Ascanio — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:59:57 +0000

Last week’s climate change email “scandal” has sent both sides of the argument into an absolute tizzy. Let’s try to clear the air once and for all.

First, the obvious: generally, lying is bad. And anyone who lies in the pursuit of monetary or political gain in the face of a global debate should be called out on the spot and, if necessary, stripped of any power over process they may possess.

The Climate Research Unit (CRU) scientists whose emails were “leaked” online made a huge mistake: being stupid. Regardless of the intent, no one, on either side of the aisle, will take them on their word again. The global warming feud is bitter and cold (that pun was slightly intended), and the actions of said scientists are entirely unacceptable. Immense pressure from an entire politically-driven industry intent on crushing their every effort is no excuse for bending the facts, or hiding them completely.

Although I am typically the antagonist against any and all climate change deniers and/or skeptics – as they are generally either a mislead or misleading bunch devoted to greed and political gain – taken on the surface, said skeptics do have a point as well as a valid argument with regard to the statements made in these leaked emails.

Over 1,000 emails and 2,000 other documents were hacked from the CRU and then posted on a Russian file-sharing server late Thursday, referencing in some cases the concealment of data arguing against global warming claims. Once leaked, the university did not help the matter, offering no response or rebuttal beyond simply implying “Hey, you’re not allowed to read those!” while critics lambasted them.

While whether or not the statements within the stolen emails were taken out of context is debatable, undeniable is the fact that their very presence has raised questions over whether or not the argument for global warming is valid.

“This is horrible,” said Pat Michaels, a climate scientist at the Cato Institute in Washington who is mentioned negatively in the emails. “This is what everyone feared. Over the years, it has become increasingly difficult for anyone who does not view global warming as an end-of-the-world issue to publish papers. This isn’t questionable practice, this is unethical.”

With less than a month to go until the climate-change summit in Copenhagen, this is not good for climate change activists.

“Climate Gate” – Confusing the real issue

Let’s forget, for a moment, the fact that these emails were obtained in a highly illegal manner. Although I typically do not make a habit of aligning myself with The Right, I believe that the notion supported by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. – that the leaked e-mails are “theft” and “crime” that should be investigated regardless of the emails’ contents – is entirely missing the point.

“You call it Climate-gate. I call it E-mail-theft-gate,” said Senator Boxer. She claims that a criminal conspiracy might even be at play.

Senator Boxer is simply arguing the wrong point. Yes, it is unethical to steal emails. But, it is also unethical and even criminal to actively attempt to mislead the public on such an important topic – one that could change the course of human history and survival over the next few decades.

While the hacked emails have the ability to weaken global resolve to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, they offer no real and tangible arguments for either side. We now need to take the higher road and put forth the right argument: the content of these emails, regardless of how they were obtained, needs to be looked at in a comprehensive and responsible manner.

The emails are greatly exaggerated beyond all recognition. The claims which climate change deniers have consistently made throughout their campaigns are simply not supported by any findings in the exposed correspondence.

Yet, words can hurt.

I personally find it ironically sad that the scientific and environmental response has been utter denial and finger-pointing. The emails help fuel the fact-less propaganda surrounding climate change denial, while they instantly revoke the credibility and expertise of those involved. The only real way to move passed this in a positive direction toward truth is for people to regain a firm grasp on reality.

“I simply can’t believe that there is a kind of mafia that is trying to inhibit critical papers from being published,” said Mojib Latif, a climate researcher at Germany’s Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences. Mr. Latif firmly believes that global warming is, in fact, man-made, and relates current cooling to temporary natural trends.

According to the Copenhagen Diagnosis report – a collection of over 200 scientific papers BEYOND that of the hacked emails - climate change has rapidly accelerated beyond all previous predictions and humans are to blame. The report shows that global warming emissions in 2008 were nearly 40 percent higher than those in 1990, while sea level rise is 80 percent above past previous predictions.

No real, substantial data supporting global warming has been disproven or dismantled by these stolen emails. Only a few sentences out of context spun completely out of control are doing the damage – and it is PR damage at best.

Finding facts in fiction

The majority of climate scientists today argue that the earth’s temperature is in fact rising, with nearly all in agreement that human activity is the prime suspect.

Climate change skeptics and deniers are leaping onto this “email scandal” with torches and pitch forks in hand, without stopping to understand that not only has their very context been cherry-picked for their own argument’s sake, but that a small handful of scientists sending emails back and forth does not dismantle an entire scientific institution; that climate change is real, it is caused by human activity, and the need to counteract its impacts is beyond crucial.

Yes, the world’s temperature was decreasing, as unbiased studies have shown; over the last 2,000 years, temperatures were steadily going down, mostly due to decreased solar insulation associated with the earth’s orbit.

HOWEVER, just under 200 years ago, the temperature - scientifically measured by ice cores, tree rings and lake sediments – began a sharp increase and has been steadily rising ever since. This time frame coincides with, obviously, the birth of the industrial revolution; a.k.a. human activity.

These evidences are of course based on science that right-wing climate change deniers simply refuse to believe in, citing faith and man-made notions of world dominion as proof.

Take a look around

But let’s not make any mistakes here: climate change deniers and skeptics have lied and obscured real “data” for years, catalyzing the cause for climate change “rationalists” and believers to adhere to high scientific standards.

Fossil fuel industries have employed “experts” to lie, cheat and manipulate on their behalf – atrocities far greater than anything contained in these emails. And despite years of outright deceit and fraud on their part, it is now the climate scientists who look bad.

Now, because of this one-time “scandal”, the side of truth in the climate change debate needs to work that much harder in order to distinguish itself above the opposition.

In questioning motivations, let’s examine those of the climate change skeptics and deniers; and take a hard look at the oil and gas and coal industries. Each has billions of dollars at stake, and a deep and vested interest in maintaining the status quo; spending millions on lobbying, advertising and funding slanted research to distort the truth and keep as many skeptics ont heir side as possible.

I mean, who are their “superstars”? How about Steve Milloy, Fox News’ “Fair and Balanced” anchor and host of Junk Science who spends most of his time arguing against the medical effects of secondhand smoke and claiming that climate change is fake, all while being a paid advocate and funds-recipient from both Philip Morris and ExxonMobil.

How about resident science “expert” and climate change denier Professor Pat Michaels of the Cato Institute, who has recently been exposed as accepting at least $100,000 by companies involved in coal-fired power production. Michaels himself withdrew as an “expert witness from a court case about climate change” after this funding went public.

And there is Sarah Palin. Ah, Sarah, how you entertain us! Palin, a very public advocate for oil drilling and former Governor of Alaska (a heavily-dependent oil economy), stated during the 2008 campaign: “I’m not one though who would attribute it [climate change] to being manmade.” She then went on to sign executive orders to commence Arctic Sea oil drilling, an up-til-now untapped reserve covered by ice, due to the rapid depletion of ice in the Arctic Sea.

The lost goes on and on, and so do the erroneous claims. Daily Mail columnist Melanie Philips claims that believing in global warming is just plain anti-American, stating that “the theory that global warming is all the fault of mankind is a massive scam based on flawed computer modelling, bad science and an anti-western ideology…” and that “carbon dioxide forms a relatively small proportion of the atmosphere, most of which consists of water vapor.”

Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, who receives more campaign money from fossil fuel companies than any other Senator in the Republican Party, has compared environmentalists to the Third Reich and the US Environmental Protection Agency to the Gestapo. He maintains that climate change is all a big hoax.

And these, ladies and gentleman of the planet, are who we actually become comparable to when such a thing as data manipulation or outright lying takes place – even on the side of the good guys – regardless of cause or reason. Let’s not lose sight of the real goals at hand and stick to the highest of principles, and maybe we will actually get somewhere. Perhaps if done right, we will finally earn the right to call Earth “home”.

Is a “green plane” on the horizon from Southwest Airlines?

Kristen Geis — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:09:21 +0000

The popular American carrier has officially unveiled a prototype model for a “green plane” – an Boeing 737-700 that combines fuel efficiency, environmentally responsible products, customer comfort, and reduced waste and weight.

Good business sense

According the Southwest, environmental decisions and business practices can only benefit the business.

“Southwest is committed to continuing to lead the industry in emissions reductions through fuel efficiency,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chairman, President, and CEO. “Efficiency in fuel consumption benefits our Company as well as the environment, and this has been part of our business model since the beginning. As we look to the future, we know climate change remains of vital importance to our industry, our Company, and our Customers, so Southwest works hard every day in every area to be a responsible steward of the environment.”

All of the elements being tested on this Green Plane, when combined, will equate to a weight savings of almost five pounds per seat, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions, along with adding recyclable elements to the cabin interior and reducing waste.

“Southwest is proud to lead the aviation industry in environmental stewardship and honored to be working with these eco-friendly vendors and our partners at Boeing,” Kelly continued. “We are excited to test their forward-thinking products and expect these green products to not only help the environment, but also create a fuel and materials cost saving for Southwest.”

The new plane’s “green” elements include:

InterfaceFLOR Carpet – a 100% recyclable and carbon neutral carpet that reduces labor and material costs because it is installed in sections, thus eliminating the need for total replacement of areas such as aisles, where Southwest currently uses one single piece of carpet.
Seat covers – two new products that will be tested on the aircraft seats, offering more than twice the durability than the current leather seats as well as a weight savings of almost two pounds per seat. On one side of the aisle, e-Leather is an eco-friendly, lightweight and scuff resistant man-made alternative to traditional leather. It is made from recycled materials that have been discarded by the leather industry. It is then upgraded utilizing eco-friendly technology, resulting in composition leather, a man-made material. On the other side of the aisle, IZIT Leather, a new breed of premium leather alternative, is an evolutionary step beyond calf skin that offers a lightweight product that is both economical and durable, but with the genuine appearance and touch of luxurious leather.
Life Vest Pouch – more environmentally friendly because it offers a weight savings of one pound per passenger, replacing the current metal container with lighter durable canvas. The smaller pouch also creates more room under the seat for carry-on items and offers productivity improvements due to design change.
Foam Fill – A lighter weight fill from Garnier PURtec in the back of the seats that reduces weight while providing increased Customer comfort.
Passenger Seat Rub Strips – switching from plastic to aluminum will help with durability, which reduces waste, as well as being recyclable.

In addition to the green plane, Southwest also announced the Nov. 1 kickoff of a more robust onboard recycling program, which is a co-mingled system that will allow the airline to capture more recyclable material and divert it from the waste stream. This 18-month process involved team work from all areas of the Company to implement the program on the ground at its Provisioning Bases and re-working of waste collection procedures in the cabin.

“The initiative by the Southwest Airlines Green Team, Facilities Maintenance, Inflight Department, and Provisioning Department was a truly heroic effort; when you serve nearly 68 cities there are often 68 different ways to implement a program,” Kelly says. “We appreciate the hard work of our recycling vendor, Republic Services, and we are excited to take a very effective recycling program and make it even better.”

Green travel vs. carbon offsetting: where do we draw the line?

Joe Ascanio — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:03:45 +0000

For a good part of the last decade, carbon offsetting has been a large player in consumer-based, green travel initiatives. Companies like Carbonfund and terrapass have become very successful by allowing travelers and organizations that are looking for a “green edge” to offset their carbon rations for things like flights, hotel stays, rental cars and more.

However, this week, popular sustainably-minded travel portal responsibletravel.com has taken a formal stand against carbon offsetting, calling the very idea of offsets “dangerously distracting.”

The website was one of the very first travel organizations to actually introduce carbon offsetting to the masses in early 2002. Now, it is one of the first to speak out against them – citing the travel industry’s need to reduce rather than offset carbon emissions.

“We have thought long and hard about how we can continue to offer our customers the leading advice they expect from a responsible tourism business when it comes to the fast growing impact of flying on the environment,” said Justin Francis, MD, responsibletravel.com. “We believe that the travel industry’s priority must be to reduce carbon emissions, rather than to offset.”

In a recent report by Friends of the Earth, carbon offsetting was deemed a “dangerous distraction” – a deterrent for tourists from the need to actually reduce their carbon footprint, creating a sort of guilt-free illusion of environmentally friendly travel.

Francis agrees with this report, and continues to say that “Too often offsets are being used by the tourism industry in developed countries to justify growth plans on the basis that money will be donated to projects in developing countries. Global reduction targets will not be met this way.”

In its place, responsibletravel.com is working with Friends of the Earth to put in place a clear, alternativeset of advice and guidelines to enable travelers to “carbon cautious.” for travellers offering

“Ultimately we need to reduce our carbon emissions,” continued Francis. “We can do this by flying less – travelling by train or taking holidays closer to home for example, and by making carbon reductions in other areas of our lifestyles too, alongside travel.

“There is no hiding the fact that tourists will continue to want to visit destinations requiring a flight, and that tourism contributes to livelihoods, local economic development and the conservation of the world’s cultural and natural heritage. We will continue to offer a more responsible choice of overseas holiday so that when tourists do fly they can ‘make their holiday count’ by choosing a more responsible holiday.”

Responsibletravel.com has also teamed up with leading responsible tourism academic Professor Harold Goodwin, Director International Center for Responsible Tourism on his FlySmart Campaign for Responsible Aviation: www.flysmart.org . The campaign supports a Carbon Friendly Flight Search functionality, enabling travelers to search and compare the cheapest and most environmentally friendly fares available around the world.

For more information visit www.flysmart.org and www.responsibletravel.com/carboncaution.

TRX and the Offset Alliance work together to make travel booking technology more eco-responsible

Joe Ascanio — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:07:55 +0000

Travel technology leader TRX has been selected by the Offset Alliance for its carbon emissions calculator. Developed by TRX’s Travel Analytics, the tool allows business and individuals to accurately offset the impact of air travel.

“Our proprietary carbon emissions calculations provide unmatched accuracy and completeness and are setting the industry standard for measuring airline carbon emissions,” said Shane Hammond, President and CEO, TRX. “As we continue to partner with organizations like Offset Alliance, we further our goals of positively impacting the environment through the deployment of our carbon emissions calculations and technology.”

TRX, Inc. is a technology company that develops and hosts travel software applications. Since launching its Carbon Emissions Calculator, several carbon reduction/offsetting organizations and other green-minded institutions have subscribed to the service including: Nootrol, Carbon Salon and Piece of Green.

The Offset Alliance is the newest to the line-up; a non-partisan organization that assists individuals and businesses achieve carbon reduction goals.

“We surveyed the marketplace and found TRX has by far the most thorough carbon emissions calculations for air travel,” said Daniel Greenson, President and CEO, Offset Alliance. “For Offset Alliance, this means we can tap into a new market we hadn’t previously explored – the travel market. The bottom line is by partnering with TRX, we are able to offset more CO2. The calculations are precise, and they provide the customer with truly meaningful results. We are confident that the decision to work with TRX will really help our business.”

In early 2009, TRX released its carbon emissions developer toolkit. Powered by the company’s open web services platform, the toolkit provides third-party solution developers with direct access to the robust set of calculations required to accurately assess the carbon footprint of air travel by corporations and individuals.

The developer toolkit was made available via a free entry level package, enabling clients to begin using the services with little to no upfront investment.

Recently, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI – an independent, international research institute specializing in sustainable development and environment issues) identified TRX’s carbon emissions calculation methodology as being one of the best currently available in the market today, citing transparency and overall comprehension as key factors.

Also, TRX received the “Best Technology in 2008/2009″ ICARUS Award for Airline Carbon Emission measurement technology from the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM). ITM is the leading professional body for buyers, managers and suppliers of business travel in the UK and Ireland with over 1,000 members from large corporations, government departments and NGOs, SMEs and travel suppliers.

For more information, visit www.TRX.com.

Eight US airlines agree to use renewable synthetic fuels on the ground at LAX

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:16:31 +0000

This week marked a ground-breaking agreement between eight leading U.S. air carriers, as outlined by the Air Transport Association of America (ATA). According to the Association, beginning in 2012, these eight will purchase nearly 1.5 million gallons of renewable synthetic diesel fuel for use in ground service equipment and vehicles at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The eight airlines in agreement are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and US Airways. ATA is hopeful of adding other airline partners in time.

“We are proud to take part in this innovative, collective endeavour that over time, will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve local air quality through the use of greener fuels,” said Glenn Tilton, ATA Board Chairman and UAL Corporation Chairman, President and CEO. “This transaction promises to be the first of many such green fuel purchase agreements by the commercial aviation industry. It exemplifies the ongoing commitment of airlines and energy suppliers to diversify our fuel sources while contributing to a cleaner environment and adding new jobs to the economy.”

The agreement was signed with synthetic fuel specialist Rentech and Aircraft Service International Group (ASIG), a global provider to airlines and airports of ground, fuel, cargo and airport facility services. The renewable fuel, called RenDiesel, will be produced at the commercial-scale facility that Rentech is developing in Rialto, California, primarily from woody green waste such as grass clippings.

The fuel is expected to have a low carbon footprint and minimal particulate and other emissions, while meeting or exceeding all applicable fuel standards.

The airlines declined to reveal further details of the contract such as the price per gallon they were expecting to pay for the synthetic fuel and whether it would be cheaper or more expensive than the conventional fuel it was replacing.

“This collaborative effort is yet another environmentally friendly initiative that we and the airlines are pursuing at Los Angeles-area airports,” said Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). “It shows what we can accomplish by working together towards a common and necessary goal.”

“The low-emissions profile and near-zero carbon footprint of our renewable RenDiesel will guarantee that the LAX ground service vehicles using this fuel will be among the cleanest and greenest of their kind,” said D. Hunt Ramsbottom, Rentech’s President and CEO. “We expect this agreement to serve as a model for future supply relationships at other airports and for other fuels, including Rentech’s synthetic jet fuel, which was recently approved for commercial airline use.”

In a BNET article last month, Ramsbottom stated that meeting California’s own renewable targets would require the blending in of 75,000 to 100,000 barrels a day of renewable fuel. “It will be a big market,” he said. “We will need to do 100 Rialto-sized plants to have one percent of the market for biomass. And keep in mind that a single [major] domestic airline uses 2.5 billion gallons of jet fuel per year. The challenge is getting to scale.”

First-ever EPA Climate Leader-approved offset project battles climate change

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:34:35 +0000

Carbonfund.org has just announced the launch of the first-ever EPA Climate Leaders approved carbon offset project- the Clinton County Landfill Methane Project. Within nine months the project prevented over 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from over 18,300 passenger vehicles.

Carbonfund.org, a leading nonprofit carbon offset and climate solutions organization, is offering offsets from the project to businesses and individuals at the organization’s website, www.carbonfund.org/climateleaders.

The project, located near Plattsburgh, NY, is a landfill methane collection and destruction system. Recent improvements to the project have added a gas-to-energy plant producing approximately 5 megawatts of clean energy that can supply the electricity needs of 5,000 households. Casella, a charter member of the EPA Climate Leaders program and the only solid waste and resource management company in the program, developed the project.

“We are excited to support the first-ever EPA Climate Leaders approved carbon offset project,” said Eric Carlson, president of Carbonfund.org. “Climate change affects every one of us, and we all must be part of the solution. Projects like Clinton County are reducing emissions today and hastening our transition to a low-carbon future.”

The Clinton County Landfill Methane Project is located at a 70-acre facility permitted to accept 175,000 tons of solid waste per year. At the site, decomposing organic material such as paper and food produce landfill gas, a portion of which is methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is about 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. By combusting the gas, the project keeps the methane out of the atmosphere, thereby dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The offsets currently available through Carbonfund.org represent methane destruction that occurred between January and September 2008. It is estimated that over 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions were avoided in the period, equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from over 18,300 passenger vehicles.

The EPA Climate Leaders program is a partnership between industry and government that works with companies to develop climate change strategies. Partner companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions based on a quality management system, setting reduction goals, and annually reporting progress on emissions reductions to EPA.

To learn more about the project, check out www.carbonfund.org/climateleaders.

Green limo service pulling up to Las Vegas CityCenter

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:24:46 +0000

Since its plans’ inception, the new Las Vegas CityCenter has been promising more and more sustainable features than we can even keep up with. Keeping stride, even getting to the property will be an innovation in green with a new fleet of compressed natural gas-powered stretch limousines (CNG).

Twenty six, 72-inch Lincoln Town cars will run on 100% CNG and will provide exclusive service to CityCenter’s ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel. The vehicles are being developed by Krystal Enterprises, the world’s largest manufacturer of stretch limousines, in collaboration with Clean Energy Fuels, BAF Technologies and Ford engineers.

Compressed natural gas was selected for the limo fleet because of the abundant U.S. natural gas reserves; it also is one of the cleanest burning alternative fuels available and is generally less expensive than either gasoline or diesel with greater price stability.

“Commissioning the first CNG stretch-limo fleet is a demonstration of CityCenter’s commitment to environmental responsibility, while never sacrificing guest experience,” said Bill McBeath, president and COO of ARIA Resort & Casino. “Just as with every element of CityCenter’s design and construction, we’re determined to employ the most innovative solutions possible to grow responsibly, while continuing to raise the bar on service, comfort and experience.”

Compared with vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, natural gas vehicles produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides (35-60 percent less), particulate matter (90-97 percent less), carcinogenic and toxic pollutants such as carbon monoxide (90-97 percent less) as well as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (25 percent less). Source: U.S. Department of Energy

“As the leader in stretch-limo development, Krystal Enterprises worked closely with CityCenter and BAF Technologies to ensure this custom fleet provided the highest level of CNG practices without compromising the quality experience CityCenter guests will expect,” said Ed Grech, president and CEO of Krystal Enterprises.

Every element of CityCenter has been masterfully woven together with the greatest of consideration for our environment and future. Charting a new course for responsible growth in Las Vegas, MGM MIRAGE is pursuing the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification at CityCenter. The 18-million-square-foot, multi-use project will incorporate a variety of elements – from the use of reclaimed water to on-site power generation and sustainable materials selection to indoor environmental quality – to make it one of the world’s largest environmentally sustainable urban communities.

In addition to CityCenter’s CNG limo fleet, guests will be greeted with preferred parking for green cars and carpoolers, and will be offered bicycle valet service; residents will have bicycle storage, rideshare options and dedicated carpool pickup lanes; and employees will be presented with a full range of transit, bicycle, green car and carpool options.

Global warming facts: How does deforestation speed up climate change?

Joe Ascanio — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:37:38 +0000

With the House recently passing an energy bill that places large emphasis on forest carbon offsets, it is time for everyday citizens to learn facts about global warming. A new report by Rare Conservation outlines how the developing tropic zones and global deforestation are crucial to mitigating climate change.

Similarly, the concluding documents issued at the June U.N. climate change talks at Bonn discuss ways of preventing global deforestation.

With the U.S. joining the developing world to dramatically reduce carbon emissions, there is an urgent need for the public to be made more aware of the destruction of the world’s remaining forests as a major factor leading to global warming.

“Even if the U.S. makes an 80% reduction from current emission levels by 2050,” says Brett Jenks, CEO of the global environmental organization Rare, “this won’t amount to a global warming solution, because the developing world has to act as well.”

Collaborating with local peoples in distant forests needs to be on the public’s radar, too.

Rare is currently running 11 “Pride” campaigns in Indonesia to address forest conservation, including at Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, home to about 100 ex-captive orangutans. These campaigns focus on inspiring local communities to change their behavior to reduce forest clearing. Plus, a “carbon offset” project is currently under discussion for 62,000 acres of forest land adjacent to the Reserve, spearheaded by Rare and the Clinton Climate Initiative-Forestry Program in Southeast Asia.

Global deforestation and climate change, and what can be done about it

Almost 20% of all global CO2 emissions are caused by deforestation.
25% of all emissions reductions called for by 2050 could be achieved by conserving and restoring tropical forests.
People who are cutting down trees send as much carbon into the atmosphere as do all the activities of the entire U.S.
At present rates, about 5 1/4 million acres of forest are being destroyed every year.
1.6 billion people in the developing tropics depend on the world’s forests for their income, food and fuel.
2 trillion dollars per year is the estimated cost to the global economy of burning and clearing forests.
Today’s conservationists must redefine the adversarial relationship between tropical forest conservation and the world’s economy.
People living in or near protected forest must be brought into a conservation plan that helps them to be more effective stewards of the land.
The “cavalry on the horizon” takes the form of the emerging carbon market.
The world’s treaty makers will create a commodity called “forest carbon.” Local peoples won’t have to liquidate forest resources just to survive.
The developed world will learn to reward people to leave forests stand, knowing that security in the developed North means development in the tropical South, and that our fates are indelibly intertwined.

For more information, visit www.rareconservation.org.

Resort and spa company working to mitigate carbon emissions through reforestation in Thailand

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:38:03 +0000

Six Senses, a world leading luxury resort and spa development and management company, is reinforcing its commitment to mitigate climate change by joining forces with aid agencies, governments and private companies in supporting carbon emission mitigation projects.

In line with the group’s commitment to their core purpose: creating innovative and enlightening experiences that rejuvenate its guests’ love of “SLOW LIFE” (Sustainable, Local, Organic, Wholesome Learning Inspiring, Fun, Experiences), Six Senses continues to commit to global, regional and locally sustainable development initiatives in order to minimize negative social and environmental impacts whilst maximising positive social and environmental impacts through conservation, awareness raising and social contributions.

The aim of its latest initiative, the Six Senses Reforestation Project, is to curb the threat of severe climate change caused by human-made carbon emissions and greenhouse gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

Six Senses Reforestation Project has planted the first three-hundred trees in northern Thailand in association with the UNESCO approved Earth Charter Foundation. By planting trees on deforested land, Six Senses offsets carbon emissions and helps to protect the land for future generations. The project assists the local community to overcome soil erosion, protect crop-yielding land and restore natural habitats.

The project is located in the Pang Hai Valley of Mai Rim in a mountain enclave one-hundred kilometers from Chiang Mai International Airport. The first batch of saplings planted was a northern Thailand indigenous species named Magnolia Alba, which is also known locally as the Jumpar or white flower tree. The next batch to be planted will be the Jumpee or yellow flower tree.

Pang Hai tenth generation farmer Naron Panyang noted, “My family has been growing crops here for many centuries but only recently have we become aware of the value of trees after seeing the land suffer when the trees were cut down. Now no one is allowed to remove trees and it’s good that we can grow more trees to restore the forests.”

The local primary school located adjacent to the first stage of the reforestation has become actively involved with the Six Senses Reforestation Project, with the students already learning how to grow trees while receiving hands-on education on land use, the environment and the issue of climate change.

The Six Senses Reforestation Project is part of Six Senses Holistic Environmental Management Program (HEMP).

For more information, visit www.sixsenses.com.

Greener in Seattle: two airlines work to reduce emissions and clean our skies

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:54:16 +0000

A new environmental project by Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is aiming to reduce aircraft fuel consumption, emissions and noise. The airlines are coordinating with the Port of Seattle, Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the project, dubbed “Greener Skies”, by using satellite-based flight guidance technology pioneered by Alaska Airlines to descend more efficiently and reduce aircraft fuel consumption, emissions and noise in the Puget Sound region.

Alaska Airlines estimates the procedures will cut fuel consumption by 2.1 million gallons annually and reduce carbon emissions by 22,000 metric tons, the equivalent of taking 4,100 cars off the road every year. In addition, they will reduce overflight noise exposure for an estimated 750,000 people living within the affected flight corridor.

Testing began on June 16th on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700 aircraft during a noncommercial flight. Using satellite guidance technology called Required Navigation Performance (RNP), the plane flew a consistent and controlled approach to Sea-Tac with pinpoint accuracy, reducing flight-path length, ground noise and greenhouse-gas emissions, while saving time and fuel.

“These improved flight procedures at Sea-Tac will help Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air minimize the environmental impact of our flying on the communities we serve,” said Gary Beck, Alaska’s vice president of flight operations. “With FAA approval, we hope the procedures will be available to all carriers and gradually integrated into the Seattle air traffic system. This project could also become a blueprint for expanded use of next-generation technology at more U.S. airports.”

Typically, commercial aircraft approach follow a lengthy approach pattern and series of stair-step descents before landing. Using RNP technology and a continuous descent, also called an optimized profile descent (OPD), aircraft can descend from cruise altitude to an airport runway along a shorter, more direct flight path at low power.

“This effort aligns with the Port of Seattle’s commitment to operate the greenest airport in the nation,” said Mark Reis, managing director of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. “With Alaska and Horizon representing nearly half of the daily operations at Sea-Tac, this program not only benefits our regional environment but also helps the airlines to operate more efficiently at Sea-Tac. We are working closely with Alaska, Boeing and the FAA to ensure these benefits are realized by our community as quickly as possible.”

Alaska Airlines is the only major U.S. air carrier with a completely RNP-equipped fleet and fully trained crews. Alaska is also the first airline approved by the FAA to conduct its own RNP flight validation. Horizon Air’s fleet soon will be fully RNP-equipped as well.

RNP and OPD are part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, the FAA’s plan to modernize the National Airspace System through 2025. This initiative will increase airspace capacity and efficiency while improving safety and reducing environmental impacts through the replacement of legacy ground-based equipment with new satellite-based technology and aircraft navigation capabilities.

As part of the initial Alaska Airlines RNP operational approval team, Boeing began installing RNP guidance technology on its aircraft in 1994. Currently all Boeing production airplanes are RNP-capable, and solutions are available to upgrade the in-service fleet. The Boeing Company is continuing this pioneering tradition by working with Alaska Airlines, the FAA and the Port of Seattle in implementing RNP solutions and the Greener Skies program for Sea-Tac.

“Boeing is committed to working with Alaska Airlines and the Port of Seattle to increase efficiency in the way their airplanes approach and depart from Sea-Tac and other airports across the country,” said Per Noren, director of Airport Infrastructure for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Using these advanced technology solutions, airlines around the world can save hundreds of pounds of fuel per flight, which is a significant step toward further reducing emissions from aviation.”

Planning and testing of the procedures will continue through the remainder of the year. They will be integrated into Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air’s commercial operations at Sea-Tac pending FAA approval, which the airlines hope to obtain in 2010.

Dubai tourism to reduce carbon emissions by 20% for 2011

admin — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:46:59 +0000

A new effort by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is planning to reduce carbon emissions throughout its travel and lodging industries by 20% come 2011, focusing on the conservation of natural resources and sensible use of energy, water and gas.

This marks the latest detail of Dubai’s sustainable tourism agenda, which it is building upon with its plans for this year’s Dubai Green Tourism Award to be presented on World Environment Day in December 2009.

The plan coincides with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai – who wants to transform Dubai into a green and environmentally responsible community.

“The programs are part of the department’s efforts to introduce best practices to improve the service standards and excellence in the tourism industry,” said Mr. Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, DTCM executive director media relations and business development. “This is a major initiative designed to encourage and acknowledge the significant efforts of the emirate’s tourism industry towards sustainable tourism.”

Currently, the average Dubai hotel produces 6,500 tons of CO2 emissions annually and the size of the carbon footprint produced by all hotels in Dubai is estimated to be the equivalent of 60,000 round-trip flights between Dubai and London.

Accdording to Ms. Shaikha Al Mutawa, DTCM director business development, embracing sustainability initiatives will allow Dubai hotels to gain a competitive edge that would undoubtedly have a positive impact on like-minded tour operators.

The DTCM is making the call for corporate social responsibility heard loud and clear across the world in an effort to recognize and confront the challenges of global warming. While its main focus in on reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption within the tourism industry, it also has its sights set on building environmental guidelines and best practices within the industry, as well as developing awareness about sustainable tourism.

For more information, visit www.dubaitourism.ae/.

How are LEED standards getting more energy-serious?

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:10:13 +0000

By now we have all heard of a little thing called LEED certification, but in case you need a bit of a refresher, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system. It is essentially the end-all-be-all of green certification for construction designed with specific environmental stragegies: energy savings, water efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Developed by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the newest version of LEED certification, “Version 3″, takes advantage of new technologies and advancements in building science while prioritizing energy efficiency emissions.

With LEED Version 3, all construction projects seeking LEED certification while have to follow a new set of green building guidelines.

Energy reporting and demand: building business from the ground up

LEED Version 3 requires that building owners must now annually submit data about how much energy, including water, their properties consume each year. This new requirement means a potential business boom for companies and products in the green lodging technology space – the demand for eco-sensitive materials and energy efficient suppliers will go through the roof as more and more hotels seek the prestigious LEED status.

According to the USGBC, data collection will provide valuable information about the way buildings actually perform and help improve future versions of the program. The new standard “will bring to light external issues such as occupant behavior or unanticipated building usage patterns, all key factors that influence performance,” according to Scot Horst, senior vice president of LEED.

USGBC stands firm that forcing building owners to continually certify will catalyze their initiative to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

While property managers can always opt to have their utility bills audited by the USGBC, in the spirit of competitive capitilaism some may choose to employ current and future emerging technologies to both monitor and reduce consumption, including methods of alternative energy use.

Basics of Version 3 certification

As of this past April 27, 2009, building projects registered under the version 2 rating system can be transferred to LEED v3, free of charge through the remainder of the year. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, however, there will be a new registration fee. All project registration is now handled by the Green Building Certification Institute.
As for LEED Online, the new version is faster, smarter and a better user experience. It is designed to be scalable and more robust, through improved design, a more intuitive user interface, better communication between project teams and certifying bodies, and upgrades that respond to the changes in the LEED 2009 rating system. See the latest information here.
The LEED reference guides have also been updated to respond to LEED v3. Reference guides are available in hard copy or as downloadable e-books.
Attendees of LEED workshops focused on a specific rating system will continue to receive a discount on one printed corresponding LEED reference guide and also receive a free 30-day access period to download and save a non-printable personalized PDF copy of the reference guide.

It will be interesting to watch this scenario unfold to determine just how large an effect the LEED’s influence will have over the green lodging industry. With LEED being such a huge selling point in today’s “green stimulus” economy, those four little letters could mean the “make or break” for a large sector of the business.

Fairmont’s new Green IT strategy: Evolving responsibly

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:33:16 +0000

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has made many headlines for its efforts in environmental lodging, and is well known in the industry for being environmentally progressive. Now, the company is taking its commitment to green responsibility even further with a new IT strategy to limit waste, purchase responsibly, conserve energy and reduce the company’s overall carbon footprint.

Fairmont’s new Green IT works to address its technology infrastructure and information technology (IT) operations. It includes the introduction of a workstation power down schedule, electronic waste diversion in markets where programs exist and the development of donation standards aligning with qualified and respected recycling companies and charities.

Powering down to power up

Green IT is the latest component of the Fairmont award winning Green Partnership program – a program started in 1990 that focuses on minimizing the impact of hotel operations on the environment - and will be rolled out property-wide throughout 2009 with full implementation expected by the end of the year.

“Whether it’s technology, environmental sustainability, or any other aspect of the hotel environment, Fairmont continues to roll out pioneering programs and services that are reflective of our vision: to be a true leader in the global hospitality industry,” says Vineet Gupta, Fairmont’s senior vice president, technology.

”With technology still evolving rapidly and e-waste on the rise, this is an area where we can make a tangible impact in addition to lowering our overall CO2 footprint. Furthermore, our industry-leading environmental practices are the benchmark by which many other hotel companies measure against, so we’re pleased to expand our green programming into another distinct area of our business.”

The hotel company is also optimizing purchasing efficiencies, including crafting a green procurement policy to ensure the brand uses technology products that are either EPA Energy Star or Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-rated as well as services that address Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) programs.
In support of the new Green IT initiative, power settings on all Fairmont workstations and laptops, which are centrally managed by the brand, will be set to automatically power down after one hour of inactivity. By adopting this power management principle, Fairmont expects to reduce its energy consumption by 2,692,683 KwH per year, resulting in a savings of 1,356 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of avoiding the burning of 3,155 barrels of oil annually.

Green IT is the latest piece of environmental news from the company following a March announcement in which Fairmont became a member of WWF’s Climate Savers Program and pledged to proactively cut its overall carbon emissions by 20% below 2006 levels by 2013.

For more information on Fairmont’s Green Partnership program, visit www.fairmont.com/environment.

Flyers choose green with a new flight booking tool

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:14:49 +0000

Even in today’s rough economy, travelers are eager to put the environment first. A new and free online flight search tool has shown that, when given a choice, travelers typically choose carbon-efficient flights.

The tool is being tested in a pilot phase (no pun intended) on select websites and has generated over 10,000 flight searches so far. According to booking statistics, 57% of users selected the cheapest/lowest carbon option to pay an average premium of 19% over lowest cost/higher carbon options.

Developed by Global Travel Market (GTM) and The Carbon Consultancy in association with the International Center for Responsible Tourism, the flight search tool offers provides efficiency ratings of both long and short haul fleets used by major airlines, while highlighting lower carbon emitting direct flights versus indirect flights.

The goal: determine and reduce a trip’s carbon footpront before it even takes place.

“We are delighted to be able to demonstrate the value of data products to inform consumer behavior as an alternative to offsetting as a primary consumer solution to air travel emissions,” said Hugo Kimber, CEO of The Carbon Consultancy. “The willingness of consumers to pay a premium in a recession demonstrates that there is stronger than expected demand-led momentum for emissions reduction. The idea of a premium payment bucks previous research trends and highlights the value of simple information tools to drive greater efficiency.

The team is planning to launch a new version of the tool that will provide funds to climate change mitigation projects for every click that users make on the best available option.

“Rewarding behavior in a way that supports climate change projects and supports efficient traveller choice will create a new way of booking flights and demonstrate how the industry can respond to the challenges of its environmental impact without just asking consumers to pay for an offset,” added Kimber.

“The use of this tool is part of our continued commitment to help inform travellers to make better choices for the environment when they travel,” said Dave Simmons, CEO of GTM. “The travel industry has had an undue focus on offsets. This demonstrates the value of education and information in consumer travel choice and takes us beyond the “flying is bad – travel by bike is good” phase of the environmental debate.

“These results demonstrate that when consumers are presented with a credible way of reducing the polluting effect of their flying they will take responsibility and take the greenest option – even when it costs them more,” said Professor Harold Goodwin of the International Center for Responsible Tourism. “This is a much more credible option than buying a carbon offset.

To see the new booking tool in action, check out: http://www.sustainabilityintelligence.com/CarbonResponsible/flysmart.php.

TRX delivers carbon tracking solutions to booking tools

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:54:54 +0000

Companies looking for reliable insight into air travel-related carbon emissions now have full access to TRX’s new Carbon Emissions Developer Toolkit – a robust set of calculations required to accurately assess the carbon footprint of air travel by corporations and individuals.

TRX, Inc., a leader in travel technology and data services, is delivering the new service to be used by a wide cross-section of companies ranging from carbon offsetters and other green start-ups to search engines, travel websites, GDSs, air carriers, and traditional travel agencies looking to provide users with insight into airline carbon emissions.

“Our proprietary carbon emissions calculator provides unmatched accuracy and completeness and is setting the industry standard for measuring airline carbon emissions,” said Shane Hammond, President and CEO, TRX. “It is our belief that with a trusted standard in place more individuals and companies will be in a position to reliably implement travel-related carbon emission reduction programs.”

TRX recently received the “Best Technology in 2008/2009″ ICARUS Award for Airline Carbon Emission measurement technology from the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM), a professional body for buyers, managers and suppliers of business travel in the UK and Ireland with over 1,000 members from large corporations, government departments and NGOs, SMEs and travel suppliers.

Several leading carbon offset firms currently access TRX’s calculations through the Carbon Emissions Developer Toolkit to power carbon offsetting programs and content websites.

“Travelingreen selected TRX’s airline CO2 calculator because of the depth, quality, relevancy and timeliness of the information available,” said Karen Morgan, Managing Director of Travelingreen. “No other calculation tool provides such rich data, as recognized by the Stockholm Institute and other independent authorities. Additionally, the quality and responsiveness of the TRX technical support is unsurpassed. For all these reasons, we selected TRX’s offering to be an integral component of our web site, www.travelingreen.net and our service-based CO2 measurement offerings to enterprise clients.”

“We chose to utilize the TRX Carbon Emissions calculations based on the level of depth and accuracy of the services,” said Terrapass CEO, Erik Blachford. “TRX calculation methodology uses more relevant variables than any other available carbon calculator, which is a perfect fit with the Terrapass model and philosophy of providing the most accurate information to our clients. In addition, the level of expertise and support provided by TRX has been outstanding.”

Toolkit users now have access to a free level of service providing the ability to track and evaluate a set number of travel transactions. Additional levels of service are available offering increased transactional usage and development support.

For more information, visit www.trx.com.

American Airlines demo flight curbs carbon emissions

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:01:32 +0000

American Airlines is now the very first US carrier to test next-generation technology and procedures that were developed to significantly reduce fuel use and carbon emissions under the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE).

The test was conducted during a normal, scheduled flight from Paris to Miami, using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

AIRE is the first large-scale environmental initiative bringing together aviation players from both sides of the Atlantic, with partners including the FAA, the European Commission, Boeing, Airbus, various air navigation service providers and a number of airlines.

“It is critical that the aviation industry works with our air traffic control partners to demonstrate the benefits of NextGen technology today,” said Bob Reding, American’s Executive Vice President – Operations. “By implementing this technology as quickly as possible, we can make real and meaningful strides to reduce our impact on the environment, increase system capacity and reduce air traffic delays.”

AIRE was designed to speed up the application of new technologies and operational procedures that can have a direct impact on reducing emissions and noise pollution, as well as conserving fuel. Part of the project includes gate-to-gate flight demonstrations to test the benefits of technologies that will be used with the FAA’s NextGen air traffic management system.

The American Airlines flight was expected to conduct several fuel conservation measures, including single-engine taxi on departure and arrival, continuous climb out and descent, optimized routing over water and a ‘tailored arrival’. The carrier says that several of these procedures are already key elements of its ongoing Fuel Smart fuel conservation programme. American says it aims to save 120 million gallons of jet fuel this year and reduce its carbon emissions by 2.5 billion pounds (1.13 million tonnes), up from 110 million gallons and 2.3 billion pounds in 2008.

Post-flight data analysis by the FAA, European Commission and the airline will determine the fuel and carbon savings gained on the demonstration flight. The FAA and American will then conduct a two-month trial in Miami to continue testing the next-generation technology and procedures.

For more information, check out: American Airlines – Fuel Smart.

Biofuel flights arriving at an airport near you? Let's hope so.

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:12:09 +0000

According to the Geneva-based Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the first drops of sustainable aviation biofuels could be entering aircraft tanks within 3 to 5 years.

With the announcement of the group’s new publication: The Beginner’s Guide to Aviation Biofuels, ATAG is hoping to better inform industry employees and members of the flying public about this “new age in flight.”

Currently, ATAG is the only global organization representing all parts of the commercial air transport sector.

A new era in air travel

“For the first time we have identified a viable alternative to fossil fuels for commercial aviation. We have seen the age of flying boats, the jet age and the age of democratisation of air travel,” said Paul Steele, Executive Director of ATAG. “In the next few years, we are preparing to enter the ‘biofuels age’ of flight.”

In the last year, the industry has put major focus on the development of sustainable biofuel – a source of energy that could have around an 80 percent reduction in carbon lifecycle emissions compared to current fossil fuel based Jet A-1.

There has been a series of successful test flights, with fuels being trialled from such diverse sources as camelina, jatropha and algae by Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines and Continental Airlines. Further flight tests are being prepared with JetBlue and Interjet in the coming year.

“Those trials were a success from both a safety and a technical viewpoint. We are now expecting at least a small quantity of sustainable biofuels to start being used on commercial flights in the next three to five years.” Steele commented.

Biofuel explained

The Beginner’s Guide to Aviation Biofuels has been published to explain some of the benefits for aviation moving to a new, cleaner, source of fuel.

According to recent industry polls, almost half of those surveyed were unsure of the difference between first and second-generation biofuel supplies, while a whopping 60% are entirely unaware that sustainable aviation biofuels are going to be available in the next few years.

The guide examines the key safety and technical criteria and the testing process currently underway, while also looking at the challenges that remain if the industry is to maximise the potential of biofuels.

“We are now confident that biofuels can be technically used in flight,” continued Steele. “There remain two major complexities: guaranteeing the biofuel we use is sustainable and doesn’t impact on food and water supplies; and ensuring we can get enough to use. The industry has called on governments to support potential biofuel suppliers in developing the necessary feedstock and refining systems until the fledgling sustainable aviation biofuels industry has achieved the necessary critical mass.”

Future outlook

“After all,” commented Steele, “the history of aviation is marked by people achieving extraordinary things, despite the conventional wisdom of the time telling them it couldn’t be done. We feel the same way about the biofuels age of flight.”

What do you think? With the current economy facing the airline industry, tied with the push to eliminate fossil fuel spanning all industries, will biofuel be as much of a welcome success as Steele suggests?

Green Globe re-structures its green certification process for travel industry

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:25:55 +0000

Green Globe Certification is getting a bit of an update as well as an upgrade, according to Green Globe International, Inc., owner of the Green Globe brand and a leader in worldwide sustainability certification for tourism businesses.

Staying up to speed with the latest scientific data and developments in sustainability, Green Globe has increased its certification requirements to 248 separate line items for businesses including restaurants and hotels and resorts and in areas such as purchasing, emissions and energy.

For each client, a selection of requirements is applied to the certification process to take into consideration factors such as the type of business, geographical location and additional unique aspects of the business and its local area.

“We are pleased to announce the roll-out of the latest version of Green Globe Certification requirements,” said Guido Bauer, CEO of Green Globe Certification. “These new requirements maintain the high standards that the world has come to expect of Green Globe Certification, while continuing to meet the individual needs of our clients as they verify their sustainability credentials through our program. Green Globe Certification will continue to update and improve its program to keep pace with the latest in sustainability research, while we deliver a user-friendly system which allows a broad cross section of businesses to participate.”

Registration for the Green Globe Index tool, which allows clients to calculate their carbon footprint and track their performance of energy and water consumption and non-recyclable waste production, has been included in the requirements.

While standards for Green Globe Certification are reviewed and updated throughout the year to comply with international criteria, businesses that were previously certified by Green Globe will receive the latest updates with their next re-certification.

The Green Globe brand and program, which traces its roots back to the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, where 182 Heads of State endorsed the Agenda 21 principles of Sustainable Development, has primarily been used in the travel and tourism industry but is now being expanded to include a growing number of environmentally responsible businesses in a variety of market sectors.

The Green Globe brand is a symbol for the world’s increasing awareness of environmental responsibility and response to global climate change.

For more information on the updated certification standards, visit www.greenglobe.org.

TerraCurve.com: Go beyond green. | Responsible travel news, places, people and events. » carbon

Building a Green Economy with a new online community

More like this:

Is COP15 on the right track, or a losing battle?

Pressuring Obama

Playing the carbon markets

More like this:

Put away the pitchforks, people – climate change is still real

“Climate Gate” – Confusing the real issue

Finding facts in fiction

Take a look around

More like this:

Is a “green plane” on the horizon from Southwest Airlines?

Good business sense

More like this:

Green travel vs. carbon offsetting: where do we draw the line?

More like this:

TRX and the Offset Alliance work together to make travel booking technology more eco-responsible

More like this:

Eight US airlines agree to use renewable synthetic fuels on the ground at LAX

More like this:

First-ever EPA Climate Leader-approved offset project battles climate change

More like this:

Green limo service pulling up to Las Vegas CityCenter

More like this:

Global warming facts: How does deforestation speed up climate change?

Global deforestation and climate change, and what can be done about it

More like this:

Resort and spa company working to mitigate carbon emissions through reforestation in Thailand

More like this:

Greener in Seattle: two airlines work to reduce emissions and clean our skies

More like this:

Dubai tourism to reduce carbon emissions by 20% for 2011

More like this:

How are LEED standards getting more energy-serious?

Energy reporting and demand: building business from the ground up

Basics of Version 3 certification

More like this:

Fairmont’s new Green IT strategy: Evolving responsibly

Powering down to power up

More like this:

Flyers choose green with a new flight booking tool

More like this:

TRX delivers carbon tracking solutions to booking tools

More like this:

American Airlines demo flight curbs carbon emissions

More like this:

Biofuel flights arriving at an airport near you? Let's hope so.

A new era in air travel

Biofuel explained

Future outlook

More like this:

Green Globe re-structures its green certification process for travel industry

More like this: