Green airplanes? Really?
Airplanes create a surprising amount of pollution because there are so many of them and because jet fuel is incredibly toxic. Airlines love to say they are losing money because they know governments will give them handouts to keep them afloat. To be fair, it’s a tough business. But lately with low fuel costs, most airlines are making money. It’s during the good times that they should be investing in research to become greener. Congratulations to Alaska Airlines and others who have been conducting successful flights using biofuels and taking other steps to green their operations. Green companies tend to outperform non-green companies in terms of revenue and profits, so we can hope the early adopters will put pressure on the laggards. We can also ask our governments to demand better.