Today, the buzz words of "Going Green" seem to be cropping up everywhere. Realtors are jumping on the bandwagon just the same as many large scale manufacturing companies. recognizes the social and commercial values of being considered "Green". mentioned in "Which basket do I put my eggs in?" (February blog, State Aviation Journal) the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sets standards for designing, constructing, and operating buildings in a manner that is lighter on the environment through incorporating operating and construction efficiencies, re-use of materials, and using more biological-based materials (such as insulation made from old blue jeans or spray-foam insulation made from soy-based products with no formaldehydes).
John Deere is emphasizing the need to look to its green roots (and theme color) to become more environmentally conscious and reduce its overall carbon footprint. referenced in an article published in the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (March 20, 2009), before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming appeared to be a show-and-tell of what new and re-thought ideas the industry has come up with to help accomplish common goals of protecting the environment. to cars and traditional modes of transportation are high on the list, but more popular and closer to the reality of today is looking into alternative fuels, such as biomass fuels. Ruccolo, Sr. VP of Construction and Forestry Division of John Deere, testified that urban environments would benefit from the development of biomass fuels. alternatives are being evaluated, from the use of cultivated biomass to material re-use (such as wood biomass generated from forest thinning projects to help reduce fire hazards in areas of urban sprawl).
Mogollan Brewing Company, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, is developing a biomass power plant fueled from its spent barley and hops. ever-growing success of micro-brew beers provided Mogollan Brewing Company with opportunities to pursue other environmentally-sensitive interests and re-use. with the nature of the community of Flagstaff, the owners of the company are looking at progressive means to re-use materials and provide a needed resource within a small industrial subdivision west of Flagstaff.
The most visible within the U.S. Aviation industry is Boeing. Boeing’s 2009 Environmental Report was recently issued, which states the goal of improving the environmental performance of its products, along with improving the fuel efficiency of each new generation of commercial aircraft by at least 15%. The report highlights the 2008 reductions in the energy and water consumption, CO2 emissions, and hazardous waste at its facilities worldwide. Six international locations and 23 of its U.S. facilities have achieved the ISO 14001 standards for environmental management . International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards.
As cited in GreenAir Online (May 20, 2009)
"Protecting our planet’s environment and finding new ways to harness diverse energy resources continues to be a priority for Boeing," commented Jim McNerney, Boeing’s Chairman, President and CEO. "Over the past year, the pace of progress has accelerated even in the face of a global economic slowdown."
The article goes on to reference the recent biofuel demonstration flights that Boeing conducted with Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, Continental, and Japan Airlines. was also a mention of Boeing’s progress in other areas including air traffic management efficiency. will the future of biofuels bring to aviation?
A huge step in reducing waste, as well as, reducing the energy consumption necessary for new production, Boeing worked collaboratively with 11 companies to develop the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA). association now consists of 41 member companies and has recently published a document of best practices as guidelines to be used for safe and environmentally sound management of the reuse and recycle programs promoted by AFRA. "Collectively, AFRA member organizations have:
Recycled more than 6,000 commercial aircraft
Recycled more than 1,000 military aircraft
Re-marketed approximately 2,000 airplanes"
Source: www.boeing.com (see complete on page 34)
Listed in a separate article in GreenAir Online (April 7, 2009) is the application of a biomass boiler used at Stansted Airport in London to heat the passenger terminal. boiler uses wood chips to generate heat, replacing the previous natural gas system. than a 30% reduction of natural gas use was seen following the installation of the biomass boiler.
There are many excellent examples of practices being implemented throughout the industry to reduce carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions through good stewardship practices, waste reduction, and re-use. will we be discussing next year? 10 years from now?