The Green Journey

The sum of all parts

Posted by JLow on Jun 23, 2010

One of the visits on our recent IVLP trips was to find out and learn about what the top brains are researching into, with regards to aviation and the impact on the climate- MIT.

One of the presenters was Dr. Philippe Bonnefoy, who gave us both the scientific research findings as well as the business implications, or justifications of why the aviation industry has been doing all these decades.

I just wanted to show you some of the grabbing facts and figures that are quite daunting.

I would like to draw your attention to the second slide above.

After being blown away at first glance of that formula, but taking the time to examine each part of the formula it started to make sense to us- it was a summation of all parts of the aviation industry.

If you cannot see it properly, what is written in blue, from left to right, are:
“Demand (passenger traffic)”;
“1/average load factor”;
“1/aircraft size (fleet mix)”;
“Empty mass”;
“Payload mass”;
“Flight range and speed”;
“Propulsion (spec. fuel consumption)”;
“Aerodynamics (drag/lift)”;
“Fuel properties (alternative fuels)”.

We were amazed and glad that such research measures and efforts are being undertaken by this most-developed country; in looking for ways of mitigating the impact of all of aviation’s activities.

* Note the reference to ICAT; which are MIT International Center for Air Transportation:

Aviation and the environment

Posted by JLow on May 30, 2010

Recently we were selected and invited by the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program, to participate in their Aviation and the Impact on the Environment theme.

They have designed a range of new engines called PurePower, which saves fuel by being lighter, more fuel efficient, quieter, and cleaner emissions.

More details to follow; just wanted to share some of the photos from our visit to Pratt and Whitney the engine manufacturer; as one of the people and places on the program’s agenda.

Celebrities using their stardom for awareness

Posted by JLow on Dec 4, 2009

I am sure you have already seen these promotional videos. I would just like to put them here, for the record.

Are your local celebrities throwing their weight behind this global issue too?

Are you local enough to notice this change?

Posted by JLow on Nov 2, 2009

Last week I attended our partner Wild Asia’s workshop on Responsible Tourism. I sat next to a lady from UK, Sarah, who is/was a business and travel writer (she now freelances still for the travel industry).

Still learning the ropes regarding my role in MAS’ Environment, I shared with her my personal take on this global issue. “… I’ve been saying to people, we live in a tropical country where it’s green everywhere and constantly raining..’What climate change?’ was usually the unspoken response I got when I talk to people about what I do now at MAS and this issue on the wider global scale..”

She looked at me and said “Really? My uncle, who’s been here since 1954 and living in Perak since then, has actually told me that he has in fact noticed that the temperature here in Malaysia HAS been getting warmer throughout the years….”

Not that I cannot take criticism or be told that I am wrong- I was dumbfounded that it took an expat to tell me this.

Personally I have always thought that it’s because my own family’s social economic status has improved through the decades while I was growing up. As a boy our home didn’t have air conditioning and we made do with what we had, which were the floor-standing or ceiling fans during warm days and nights- which wasn’t all that often. My parents’ room did have a big-hole-through-the-wall type of AC unit (the house was build in the 70′s), but it was a real luxury to have it switched on. As we “progressed” and upgraded to a bigger home my own room did have AC but again it was rarely used.

Somewhere along the way, I started using it, had my own place when I joined the workforce and slept with the AC on at nights, married and had kids, and they too are now accustomed to the AC.

It is now a little too warm at nights for us now not to have the AC on. At least for me.

This is my personal justification of not “realizing” the now-warmer local temperature, if indeed this is the case.

I have no reason to doubt Sarah and her uncle. I am however questioning why it had to take an outsider to tell me that he and others like him have noted this change when locals have been giving me the “what climate change” look.

Do you know if this is noted anywhere in our local met services? Found any literature on this?

Do you notice any change in our local weather since your schooldays?

John Low
Malaysia Airlines

“Climate change”: What pops into your head when you see these 2 words?

Posted by JLow on Oct 27, 2009

I found this article on the Guardian that talked about human psychology and the resulting required change in human behaviour, in tackling climate change.

I found this bit the most interesting:

An American study played people recordings of actors delivering speeches about climate change. The version that people responded to the best talked about “air pollution” rather than “climate change” – because pollution is something visible that they could relate to, with strong connotations of dirtiness and poor health. Climate change is about much more than just dirty air, but finding ways of making climate change more visible is critical. People simply don’t worry about things they can’t see (or even imagine).

Are you one of the few that can only subconsciously respond to “climate change”? One of those who think: Ah, let the technology guys figure this one out / not my immediate problem; one of those who think: Can I be creative enough to change my way of life to slowdown this change yet still make my life(style) an enjoyable one; one of those willing to make small sacrifices?

As I personally always tell people, “in Malaysia we live in abundance”. There’s green everywhere (most places at least), and plenty of rainfall.

What climate change?

Read the full article at The Guardian’s site.