Virgin America Admits It’s a Dirty Bird
from Wired News
Sometimes, when you do something bad, it’s best to just get it off your chest. That seems to be the vibe at Virgin America, which will be the first US airline to report its greenhouse gas emissions to The Climate Registry, a non-profit multinational that monitors, calculates and reports emissions. It’s a voluntary move, but is happening just as the Environmental Protection Agency starts getting serious about designing a comprehensive national system for measuring CO2 and other gasses. More

U.S. Airport Tests Wind-powered Electric Vehicle
from Energy Efficiency News
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has installed ten wind-powered electricity generators and is using them to power an electric utility vehicle. The ten 1 kW Aerovironment wind turbines on top of the airport fire station are being used to power a fully-electric Cushman Motors e-Ride exv2 utility vehicle, which has a range of 45-55 miles and costs around $200 a year to run. More

Residents to Test Montreal Airport Noise Levels
from CTV
A Montreal citizens' group is planning to start testing noise levels generated by planes arriving and departing from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Citizens for the Quality of Life prepared a plan to distribute sonograms to residents in areas affected by the noise to measure decibel levels. More

Airport Expansion Plans Face "Final Nail in the Coffin"
from BusinessGreen
As Birmingham Airport launches emission-saving plan, reports suggest proposals for an extra runway at Stansted are on the ropes. Theresa Villiers, Conservative shadow transport secretary, reiterated the party's intention to scrap the current government's plans for airport expansion. "Like Heathrow, the government's plans for an extra runway at Stansted have collapsed," she said. "A Conservative government would put the final nail in the coffin for this unpopular and unnecessary new runway." More

Airlines Target Lighter, Thinner Seats to Save
from USA Today
Airlines have always focused on the quality of the seats in first and business class, a source of much of their profits. But customers in the back have had to endure flat, worn cushions that sit on hard metal shells and people who recline them without a thought to the person behind. The chance to help weary coach passengers is here. A number of designers are taking advantage of new technology to create thinner, but potentially more comfortable, seats. More

Biofuel for Jets Could Cut Carbon Emissions Over 80 Percent
from Checkbiotech
The seeds of a lowly weed could cut jet fuel's cradle-to-grave carbon emissions by 84 percent. David Shonnard, Robbins Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering, conducted an analysis of jet fuel made from camelina oil to measure its carbon dioxide emissions over the course of its life cycle, from planting to tailpipe. More

DIA Pays to Control Bird-strikes
from The Denver Post
Denver International Airport plans to spend nearly $350,000 on wildlife mitigation in the next year, and experts say it's worth it. Safety is the first consideration in budgeting the money for federal wildlife officers to haze and harass birds and land animals into going elsewhere instead of colliding with airplanes, said DIA operations manager Mike Carlson, who oversees the program. More

Southwest's New Perk: Free Quality Coffee in Eco-friendly Cups
from The Denver Post
Passengers get a new perk on Southwest Airlines flights with a darker, richer coffee called Liftand it's free. The Dallas-based airline began serving the 100 percent Arabica blend of South and Central American coffees. The coffee is dispensed in 8-ounce eco-friendly paper cups made from post-consumer recycled materials. The more coffee that customers drink, the more Southwest will donate to a charity called the Guatemala Light Project. More