It appears that addressing the airline industry's approach to green causes a lot of blowback. For example, I was asked to stop "getting high by sucking the tailpipe of your Prius" for having the temerity to be underwhelmed by Southwest Airlines' new green initiatives. I did say that any start is good, but SA needs to go further to really make an impact. In a nod to impartiality, here is an green airline story that is truly making an impact.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized DFW International Airport in their Top 20 Local Government List of largest green power purchasers in the country, ranking it 11th. DFW is purchasing close to 53 million kilowatt-hours annually from "environmentally preferable renewable resources" such as wind, solar, and geothermal, amounting to 18 percent of its entire purchased energy. That's one fifth of its power supply coming from sources that don't contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. This amount of wattage is equivalent to the carbon emissions of about 7,000 passenger vehicles per year, or the amount of electricity needed to power more than 5,000 American homes annually.
The airline industry uses a lot of fuel and this is necessary to keep this country moving. An airport that actively cuts down on its own carbon emissions is a terrific counterbalance as the airlines are looking for more energy-efficient and socially responsible methods. Considering that DFW is in the middle of a state where oil production is a major portion of the economy is proof positive that the needs of the planet are being met head-on by constituencies that heretofore may not have given them any consideration.
And for the record, I don't have a Prius.
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