We Make You Fly
Offhand, I can't remember which of the newish cheapo airlines has the above slogan, but it scares me a little. At least it's more re-assuring than
Trust Us To Fly.
The proliferation of these budget airlines post-9/11 initially seemed like a good thing and, strange to relate, there haven't been any disastrous landings recently. (Touch wood ~ if you can find a tree).
Now comes the news that the
current oil prices are a bad thing and there will have to be a surcharge on fares. But, is it such a bad thing? As much as we all like the so-called convenience of getting from A to B quicker and without the discomfort and fear factor of long-distance bus journeys,
planes are the great polluters. "The skies are grey-brown with the trails of low-cost air travelers." Add on the costs of added infrastructure, such as roads, extra runways, noise pollution and the dangers of over-crowding in the skies, and perhaps air travel isn't so cheap.
And those over-crowded skies could lead to other dangers. In Europe there are real fears that the
air traffic control system is seriously over-burdened.
Far better news here is that U.S. energy giant Chevron Texaco, has announced plans to invest US$100 million in a
geothermal plant expansion for which it is seeking "emission credits" under the Kyoto protocol.
Still on the topic of being kind to the planet, did you know that this week is the
Be Nice To Nettles Week?
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