Can Planes Ever Be Environmentally Friendly?

Airplanes are becoming more and more efficient, so what does the future of air travel look like?

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Mimicking Humpback Whale Flippers May Improve Airplane Wing Design

http://pratt.duke.edu/news/mimicking-…

“Wind tunnel tests of scale-model humpback whale flippers have revealed that the scalloped, bumpy flipper is a more efficient wing design than is currently used by the aeronautics industry on airplanes.”

Your Biggest Carbon Sin May Be Air Travel

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/sun…

“LAST fall, when Democrats and Republicans seemed unable to agree on anything, one bill glided through Congress with broad bipartisan support and won a quick signature from President Obama: the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011.”

How much fuel does an international plane use for a trip?

http://science.howstuffworks.com/tran…

“A plane like a Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon of fuel (about 4 liters) every second.”

Plant-powered planes show promise

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130…

“’Green’ biofuels are increasingly being used by airline owners to reduce harmful emissions. But are they really a viable solution for powering every craft in the skies?”