United Airlines has partnered with a company that specializes in sucking harmful air pollution from the skies, according to a news release.
The collaboration with San Francisco's Heirloom includes the "right to purchase" up to 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide removal through a technique called direct air capture, or DAC. The planet-warming gases will be used to make sustainable aviation fuel, concrete, or stored safely underground, according to the release and a story by Simple Flying.
"This first commercial direct air capture facility is the closest thing on Earth that we have to a time machine, because it can turn back the clock on climate change by removing carbon dioxide that has already been emitted into our atmosphere," Heirloom CEO Shashank Samala said in the report.
It works by using specially treated limestone, which is stacked in towers. Once exposed to air, the limestone absorbs carbon dioxide. When the limestone is heated, it releases the gas and can be reused. The pollution is collected.
The project is part of United's Sustainable Flight Fund, worth more than $200 million from investments by the company, corporate partners, and even passengers, according to the reports. Other tech being explored includes electric and hydrogen-powered planes.
For its part, the aviation industry accounts for about 2.5% of the world's carbon dioxide pollution, contributing around 4% to planet overheating to date, Our World in Data reported. Health experts are finding that the warming fumes impact more than the weather and our breathing. Studies suggest exposure can even harm our minds.
Other efforts of a similar nature, called carbon capture, pull pollution from flues at production plants, preventing them from hitting the atmosphere. A South African Nestlé facility is using tech that turns the gases into useful baking soda, for example.
But the concept isn't without hurdles. The U.S. Energy Department said that DAC setups are expensive and require a lot of power to suck CO2 out of ambient air and pump it underground. A report from The Guardian last year included experts who said that government investment in the project is a "colossal waste." The reports echoed an earlier Reuters story with critics who think the fossil industry is using DAC as a "lifeline for future fossil fuel use."
At United, officials see it as a viable way to help the planet while maintaining a sound business.
"Carbon capture is one of our country's fastest-growing, energy-enabling pathways," United Airlines Ventures head Andrew Chang said in the news release. "Our primary focus is finding solutions for decarbonization that are profitable. Heirloom's technology aligns directly with this objective, offering a scalable and commercially viable approach and complements United's commitment to net zero by 2050."
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Which of these factors would most effectively convince you to support nuclear energy projects in your area? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Lower energy bills 💸 Staying educated about corporate initiatives claimed to be planet-friendly is a great way to keep tabs on whether or not the results meet the billing, helping to prevent greenwashing. That's when companies oversell their sustainable efforts while still harming the planet. Buying from eco-friendly brands is a great way to encourage follow-through.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
