Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions and is called “flight shaming” by Swedes. The name has been given in order to address the people who fly a lot about the hazardous impacts that these emissions pose on the environment. We know that with every passing day, our world is plunging more and more toward global warming, and if a similar kind of situation continues, it would be extremely difficult to control the situation. Hence, the video below explores some factors that may help in reducing the impact of carbon emissions on the environment. YouTuber Sabine Hossenfelder illustrates the issue in detail in the following video:
As you have seen in the video, there are four possible ways through which the negative impact of air travel can be lessened on the environment. Airlines, presently, are deploying these ways to reduce their carbon emissions, and this includes the use of electric planes, hydrogen fuel, biofuel, and the use of synthetic fuels. We have witnessed that a lot of companies have developed electric planes, but the main issue with them is that they have a shorter range as compared to commercial airliners. Moreover, their batteries weigh even more, which makes them less efficient.
The Swiss aircraft, named “Solar Impulse 2,” made its first flight back in 2016 containing the solar panels attached to its wings. However, when compared with the Boeing 747, the Solar Impulse 2 can fly at about 70 km per hour. On the other hand, the Boeing 747 can fly at about 1000 km per hour, which is much higher than the range of this electric plane. So, we can say that these planes perform better when used for short-haul services. Moreover, talking about hydrogen fuel planes, the only issue with them is that the fuel isn’t liquid and requires cooling before use. But they can efficiently be used to reduce carbon emissions.
Similarly, biofuels and the use of synthetic fuels work in the same way as depicted in the video. Thus, airlines should need to implement the use of these sustainable technologies in their daily flights in order to cope with the increasing number of carbon emissions.