How much pollution does a plane put out

by ethan
(denver)

I an doing a persuasive speech abut global warming and I need help about the outside pollution machines. The one that really stumps me is the airplane. I need to find out how much pollution it gives off. I also need a long list about fifteen to research on. If you can help thanks

Barry's Response - I started with the US EPA's AP-42 list of air pollution emission factors.

See this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_42_Compilation_of_Air_Pollutant_Emission_Factors

It didn't work. After poking around on epa.gov, I found this page on aircraft emissions. https://www.epa.gov/oms/aviation.htm

It may seem complicated, but emission factors work like this:

1. Emissions per unit of fuel used, or

2. Emissions per distance travelled

Once you figure it out, it should be easy. Let me know if it helps. I wish you the best.

I found another example on Norwegian Air's website for making this kind of calculation. An airplane like this expels 88 grams per passenger per kilometer. So if this baby carries 200 people and goes 1000 km (about 620 miles), that's 17.6 tonnes (about 19 tons) of cargo. It sounds like a lot, but they compared it with a bunch of ground transportation and it ended up being pretty efficient.

The real culprit is air pollution from cars. Why? There are so many of them. For this one, you might have to check out a few informative web resources.

Search this site for more information now.

I conducted some additional research.

The pollution emitted by airplanes has several factors to consider. Here are some things to think about:

- Research the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by airplanes, since it's a big greenhouse gas.

- Smog and ozone depletion are caused by nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from aircraft engines.

- Examine how particulate matter (PM) emissions affect air quality and human health.

- Air pollution and acid rain are caused by sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from airplanes.

- Study how water vapor from airplanes affects cloud cover and climate by forming contrails.

- Considering domestic and international flights, analyze the fuel efficiency of airplanes and their emissions.

- Research and implement sustainable aviation fuels and new aircraft designs to reduce emissions.

- Explore international and national regulations that limit aviation emissions and promote cleaner air travel.

- Study the localized effects of airplane emissions on air quality around airports.

- Identification of initiatives and practices adopted by the aviation industry to reduce pollution and environmental impact.

- Considering air traffic growth and its implications: Think about how it could affect pollution levels.

- Compare the pollution footprint of airplanes with cars, trains, or ships.

- Look for studies or reports that assess the overall environmental impact of aviation.

- Examine public perceptions of airplane emissions and their role in global warming.

- Explore how governments, environmental groups, and advocacy groups are addressing airplane pollution and promoting sustainable aviation.

By researching these topics, you can gather valuable information to support your persuasive speech about global warming and airplanes. I wish you luck with your research and presentation!