The Airport and the Environment

 

          We're all here because in one way or another, we are involved in the world of aviation. And for good reason! It's unlike any other mode of transportation, it's expansive, it's fascinating, and most importantly its FUN! 


          But just like any facet of life, aviation has its setbacks. There are many concerns revolving around the environmental impact of aviation. As someone working towards environmental preservation and aerial firefighting, I'd consider gas emissions to be one of the more damaging of these impacts- as it worsens our collective quality of life over time. 
         
           Airplane engines burn fossil fuel, producing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which leads to respiratory deterioration over time (among other things). Other substances produced by airplanes include sulfur oxides, lead, soot and nitric oxide; all of which are very damaging to the quality of the atmosphere and progress climate change. Carbon dioxide, the biggest of these emissions, not only contributes to climate change but ocean acidification (the decrease of the oceans PH value caused by the uptake of C02 in the atmosphere produced by fossil fuels), (FAA Office of Environment and Energy, 2015).




          This poses a big risk for airport managers because of the implication of less air travel due to inadequate atmospheric conditions. One of the ways airlines can work to decrease their impact is invest in developing climate-friendly alternatives to conventional kerosene. A recent paper from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found that at most 5.5% of aviation fuel in the EU could come from sustainable sources by 2030, largely from advanced waste biofuels.

           As of right now, aviation is not the primary contributor to fossil fuel emissions, but with its ever-so-fast-paced growing industry it very well could be. There are many things that we humans took to long to address concerning our atmosphere, which is why it's important to tackle this before it becomes an even bigger problem. 
          



References:

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/policy_guidance/envir_policy/media/primer_jan2015.pdf

https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions-from-aviation

https://theicct.org/publications/sustainable-aviation-fuel-feedstock-eu-mar2021
          


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