Posts Tagged ‘airplanes’
Take the train: BBC Worldwide bans short-haul executive flights
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on October 28th, 2009
Source: GreenRazor, the GreenPages Newsletter
Image: dmitri krendelev via flickr CC
From “BBC Worldwide bans short-haul executive flights” by James Murray, BusinessGreen, 02 Oct 2009
Staff at BBC Worldwide have been banned from taking domestic and short-haul flights as part of one of the most wide-ranging green travel programmes yet attempted in the UK. Executives have been told they can only fly when travelling by train adds more than three hours to the journey. The edict, from the BBC’s commercial arm, means that staff have to take the train to all domestic locations, as well as European cities as far afield as Strasbourg, Amsterdam and Bordeaux.
In addition, they must formally explain why a meeting cannot be held using one of the company’s five videoconferencing suites before they can book a long-haul flight.
“For some people it has been a bit painful,” admitted David Halford, head of ethical sourcing and environmental policy at the company. “But we consulted with the baird {sic} before we introduced the policy and took the view that if we are really serious about cutting emissions it will be painful at times.” The company’s environmental department also undertook a study of all journeys taken in the year prior to introducing the policy and found that switching to the train would save the organisation money. “One of the complaints was that rail travel would be more expensive than flying, but we analysed the data from an entire year and that was just not the case,” said Halford.
Read the full article.
Shipping News
Posted in Models by Devin Maeztri on December 19th, 2008
The section below is republished with permission from the Going Solar Transport Newsletter #88, 2 December 2008, compiled by Stephen Ingrouille. Going Solar newsletter provides an excellent commentary on local sustainable transport issues in Melbourne.
“Solar-powered sails the size of a jumbo jet’s wings will be fitted to cargo ships, after a Sydney renewable energy company signed a deal with China’s biggest shipping line. The Chatswood-based Solar Sailor group has designed the sails, which can be retro-fitted to existing tankers. The aluminium sails, 30 metres long and covered with photovoltaic panels, harness the wind to cut fuel costs by between 20 and 40 per cent, and use the sun to meet five per cent of a ship’s energy needs. China’s COSCO bulk carrier will fit the wings to a tanker ship and a bulker ship under a memorandum of understanding with the Australian company, which demonstrates the technology on a Sydney Harbour cruise boat. ‘It’s hard to predict a time line but at some point in the future, I can see all ships using solar sails – it’s inevitable’, said the company’s chief executive, Dr Robert Dane. Once fitted, the sails can pay for themselves in fuel savings within four years, Dr Dane said. They don’t require special training to operate, with a computer linked in to a ship’s existing navigation system, and sensors automatically angling the sails to catch a breeze and help vessels along.â€
Ref: Ben Cubby, SMH, 28/10/08
Designing human-powered flight
Posted in Visions by fedwards on October 26th, 2008
Recently published on TED.com is the story of Paul MacCready, an aircraft designer who talks about what we all can do to preserve nature’s balance. His contribution: solar planes, superefficient gliders and the electric car. To view the footage click here.