[RTC List] Fwd: Bringing Delta Airlines to the Eureka/Arcata Airport

[Arkley, Rob]

Dear All,
     Well, it is always good to check one's conscience and pocket book
with regard to any trip.  Having done so, I will continue my current
business travel habits.  I love my summer vacations in Alaska and am
also unwilling to give them up.   
     Further, I would question the conclusions of Mr. Winkler.  Many
would conclude exactly the opposite of his conclusions.  
     Lastly, let's get practical and happy.  There is lots good going on
in the world, especially in the US, so let's enjoy the blessings that
capitalism has bestowed upon us.  Never underestimate the ability of
entrepreneurs to solve problems, including sustainability.  Fear not,
solutions will come. 
        .   
 
 
 
                                       vty,
 
 
 
                                       Rob 
       

	-----Original Message-----
	From: list-bounces at redwoodtech.org
[mailto:list-bounces at redwoodtech.org] On Behalf Of Aaron Antrim
	Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 12:45 PM
	To: list at redwoodtech.org
	Cc: Michael Winkler
	Subject: [RTC List] Fwd: Bringing Delta Airlines to the
Eureka/Arcata Airport
	
	
	I wanted to share this response to my email from energy
researcher Michael Winkler with the list.  Since he is not subscribed to
the RTC list, I do not believe his reply went out. Thanks, Michael.
-aaron
	

	Begin forwarded message:


		From: mlw9 at humboldt.edu
		Date: 18 December 2007 12:39:00 PM PST
		To: "Aaron Antrim" <aaron at arcatacommunity.org>
		Cc: vantek at sonic.net, list at redwoodtech.org, "Michael
Winkler" <mlw9 at humboldt.edu>
		Subject: Re: [RTC List] Bringing Delta Airlines to the
Eureka/Arcata Airport

		Aaron:
		
		The subject of air travel, its environmental impacts and
its economic
		benefits is complex. Under the current circumstances
expanded air service
		to our area is economically beneficial. However, air
travel has one of the
		highest environmental impacts per passenger mile of any
form of
		transportation. Therefore I am not actively supporting
or opposing
		expanded routes to our airport.
		
		I have largely given up air travel. I have taken only 1
trip by air in the
		past 5 years. The trip was for business and I didn't
have time to take the
		train. Your data agree with my research. Fuel efficiency
of airplanes with
		average passenger loading is approximately 36
passenger-miles per gallon.
		According to the IPCC global warming impact is
approximately doubled
		because of the extra impact of nitrous oxides and water
vapor at the
		altitude that planes fly. Global warming impact could be
significantly
		reduced by planes flying at lower altitudes at the cost
of slightly
		increased fuel consumption. My research agrees with your
number of
		approximately 160 passenger-miles per gallon for
Greyhound.
		
		I agree with George Monbiot, a prominent British
environmental writer,
		that air travel is fundamentally unsustainable. He and I
both agree that
		sustainable motorized transportation will largely need
to be powered by
		electricity from renewable, non-biological sources. This
is not a
		realistic possibility for air travel. It is unlikely
that average fuel
		efficiency of airplanes will improve more than about 25%
in the next 50
		years. The other problem with air travel is because
travel times are so
		short that people tend to travel much further than they
would if they had
		to use other slower means.
		
		For the time being I would recommend that each person
ask themselves how
		necessary each plane trip is and consider traveling by
other means. I
		would also suggest taking vacations closer to home. I
support building a
		bullet train in California. This could replace a
substantial fraction of
		air travel between San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San
Diego. I have read
		that there will a bond issue to fund this in November
2008.
		
		                                          Michael
Winkler 
  
  
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