Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007 - (Page 34)

getting people to take action. [Recently] we unveiled plans which could cut back CO2 emissions from the airline industry. Virgin Atlantic unveiled a new idea that would cut back CO2 emissions by twenty-five percent over the next few years. And if we can get the industry to work together as one, it will also save them a lot of money and put that money in their pockets. Basically, we have said, if all planes could be towed from their stand to the beginning of the runway by a tiny little tug that emits no CO2 emissions at all, and when they land to turn off their engines and be towed to the stand, that will save nearly two tons per roundtrip. That means you’re not carrying those two extra tons on the plane. With increasing delays, do you think it’s a realistic idea to have the planes towed to and from the landing strip? The New York Times had a very strong editorial backing our announcement. And I think we’re getting the momentum going. Yes, I think we can make it happen. There are a lot of other things that we announced. For example, air traffic control in Europe: 3 Broughton Quarterly Winter 2008 About fifteen percent of fuel is burned up just through the inefficiency of having 35 different air traffic control companies that do not coordinate. We can save over twenty-five percent on fuel burning. It can also save the industry hundreds of millions of dollars on their bottom line. So, a lot of CO2 issues. If people think hard, they can help save the world and also line their pockets by saving money at the same time. Will low cost air flights, and all flights in general, suffer if the carbon credit system is introduced? I think what governments need to do is target planes that are flying where there is adequate, say, train service running on the same route. It’s not correct in this day and age for people to have the option of a plane if there is a train service. I think with the intercontinental flights where there is no other option, then the industry has just got to get more efficient planes, which Virgin Fuels will be doing. Try to develop a fuel that is a clean fuel. Governments should come down heavy on wasteful short haul flights when people could be going on a CO2 efficient train. I don’t see much point in governments coming down heavy on flights where there is no alternative but for people to fly. A lot of people may not realize that their way of living is damaging the environment. Where do you put yourself in terms of extravagances? Well, obviously it’s very important if you’re campaigning about something that you’ve got your own house in order. I mean, at the moment, we have this small island in the Caribbean [Necker Island] and I’m trying to make it an example as the most environmentally friendly place in the world. We are building windmills and hydrogen storage capabilities so when we’ve got too much wind, we can store it. We’ll cut our CO2 emissions back dramatically. Hopefully, we’ll be able to use what we’re doing on Necker Island to encourage the rest of the Caribbean that’ve got good wind to follow suit and do the same thing…Also, in developing space travel, NASA’s spaceship uses up two weeks of all of New York’s electricity supply every time it sends a shuttle into space. We’ve managed to get our Virgin Space fuel as such that we’ll be able to send somebody into space at the

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007

Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007 Contents Contributors Plugged In Notes Calendar 1000Words Destination Wine & Cuisine Introducing Doctor Robot In the Desert Stillness Richard Branson Marketplace Spotlight

Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007

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