The effect of Boeing on the environment

The effect of Boeing on the environment

Boeing is one of, if not the biggest aircraft producers on the planet. From airborne giants such as the Boeing 777 to tiny aircraft such as the Boeing AH-6. Their planes are arguably the driving force behind the airport industry. However, there are many environmental effects that this industry has on our planet and global warming.

The first, and most obvious effect of this is global warming/greenhouse gasses. Jet fuel gives off significant amounts of CO2 when burned, which dramatically affects the environment. Just as important are a host of other high-altitude impacts, including vapour trails and ozone production, that are usually estimated to cause as much warming as the CO2 itself.

“The reason this is so crucial is that the effects of different greenhouse gases play out in the atmosphere at a different speed. CO2, released by all fuel-burning vehicles, can remain in the air for centuries, causing a gentle warming effect. By contrast, most other gases and impacts – such as the vapour trails and tropospheric ozone produced by planes at altitude – cause much more potent but shorter-lived bursts of warming.” – The Guardian

The CO2 also contributes to other issues, which are as follows;

1: Global Dimming. Tiny particles that are released when fuels are burned cause global dimming. Like global warming, this process may change rainfall patterns around the world. The amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface has decreased by about 2 per cent every ten years, because more sunlight is being reflected back into space.

2: Ocean Acidification. Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide dissolves in this ocean, carbonic acid is formed. This leads to higher acidity, mainly near the surface, which has been proven to inhibit shell growth in marine animals and is suspected as a cause of reproductive disorders in some fish.