Air Pollution

 

    Climate change has been a common topic in the media for some time now. Greenhouse gases such as Carbon dioxide, and many others, are released into the air when fossil fuels are used. This is significant to the aviation world because fossil fuels are used in mostly everything around airports and aircraft. Gasoline and Diesel are used for the basic airport vehicles and ground support vehicles, jet fuel for aircraft auxiliary power units, and other fossil fuels for electricity and heating (FAA, n.d). Since 1990, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased by 50 percent. In the United states alone, aviation contributes to just under 3 percent of the global GHG emissions total (2022, March 29). Because of these percentages the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) and other government agencies are aware of this and focused on GHG emission reduction.

    

    There are a few ways that airports can reduce or eliminate GHG emissions. Airports can improve building insulation by pursuing a more low cost energy efficiency measures. The installation of renewable energy systems is also an option. These systems reduce energy consumption, monitor the efficiency of heating, ventilation, and cooling systems, and purchase low or zero-emission vehicles and ground support equipment (FAA, n.d). San Francisco International Airport has outlined and started implementing a 5 year plan to be the first airport in the world to have the triple zero; zero carbon, zero waste, and zero net energy (2022, June 26).

References

Airport carbon emissions reduction. Airport Carbon Emissions Reduction | Federal Aviation Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved August 18, 2022, from https://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/air_quality/carbon_emissions_reduction

President, J. C. V., Cusick, J., President, V., Shepherd Director, M., Shepherd, M., Director, Graham Griffin Research Analyst and Operations Coordinator, Griffin, G., Coordinator, R. A. and O., DeGood, K., Podesta, J., Dotson, G., Majumder, B., Baussan, D., Buchanan, M. J., Higgins, T., Amaning, A., & Rapfogel, N. (2022, March 29). Reducing airport greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy generation and demand reduction. Center for American Progress. Retrieved August 18, 2022, from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/reducing-airport-greenhouse-gas-emissions-through-renewable-energy-generation-and-demand-reduction/

Your gateway to green travel. San Francisco International Airport. (2022, June 26). Retrieved August 18, 2022, from https://www.flysfo.com/about/sustainability