Southwest | The Green Economy Post: Green Careers, Green Business, Sustainability

The Low Down on (Green) Air Travel

By Kimberly_Keilbach on September 30, 2009 1 Comment air travel, airplanes, American, bio-fuels, carbon dioxide, carbon offsets, cars, circling in the air, Climate Trust, CO2, Continental, Delta, e-Blue Horizons, eco-efficient cabin design, eco-friendly, efficient air traffic controlling practices, energy consumption, environment, Fly Your Ideas, flying in V formation, Fuel Cells, fuel efficient, GHG, global carbon dioxide emissions, global GDP, global transport emissions, greenhouse gas, Horizon, idling, Jet Blue, methane, Native Energy, nitrogen oxides, Northwest, Planet Green, radiative forcing, solar power, Southwest, Sustainable Travel International, TerraPass, trains, United, US Airways, Virgin, World Intellectual Property Organization

It’s no secret that air travel is hard on the environment; but it’s also one of the key ingredients to a robust global economy. The World Intellectual Property Organization says that air travel accounts for 35 percent of goods traded internationally (by value) and over 40 percent of international tourism. On the upside, aviation generates 5.5 million jobs and contributes over $400 billion to global GDP. On the downside, aviation also accounts for roughly 13 percent of global transport emissions and 2 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions.

The Navajo Nation Pursues a Green Economy

By Tracey de Morsella on August 14, 2009 Comments Off on The Navajo Nation Pursues a Green Economy clean energy economy, environmentally sustainable, federal incentives, green economy, Green Economy Fund, green jobs, green transition plan, green-business development, green-jobs legislation, Navajo, Navajo Green Economy Commission, Navajo Nation, Navajo Nation Council, self-reliance, small-scale clean energy projects, Southwest, sustainability, tribal nations, weaver's cooperatives

Earlier this week, the Navajo Nation signed into law promising green-jobs legislation that could serve as the first step in a broader transition for the Navajo Nation and other low-income communities in the Southwest. The bill, passed by the Navajo Nation Council in July, creates the Navajo Green Economy Commission that will coordinate a long-term green transition plan for the Navajo Nation and a Green Economy Fund that will support green-business development in the community. These enterprises range from weaver’s cooperatives to small-scale clean energy projects. While a green economy is not a new concept to Navajos, it does stand in stark contrast to our recent past and present.