1. How do airports affect the environment?

Airports create smog, contaminate waterways and contribute to global warming. They also generate significant amounts of noise pollution.

2. What airport pollution problem is most urgent?

While airplane noise has been a public quality of life issue for many years, and water pollution from airport runoff is minimally addressed under national water pollution laws, the effect on local air quality of hundreds and thousands of airplanes idling, taxiing, taking off and landing is virtually uncontrolled. Airport air pollution is similar in scope to that generated by local power plants, incinerators, and refineries, yet is exempt from rules other industrial polluters must follow.

3. How much do airports contribute to pollution overall?

Many airports rank among the top 10 industrial air pollution sources in their cities (including airports in Los Angeles, Washington, and Chicago). Nationwide, planes at airports emit about 1 percent of smog-forming gases. But while pollution from other sources is stabilizing or decreasing, the pollution from planes at airports continues to grow due to the tremendous growth in air travel and the lack of controls on airport pollution.

4. How significant is pollution from airports compared to cars?

One 747 arriving and departing from JFK airport in New York City produces as much smog as a car driven over 5,600 miles, and as much polluting nitrogen oxides as a car driven nearly 26,500 miles. While the government has effectively required cars to undergo emissions inspections (with resulting improvements in emissions and efficiency), airplanes have not received the same scrutiny. Meanwhile, air travel is increasing in popularity twice as fast as car travel and is projected to double within the next 20 years.

5. How significant is air travel's contribution to global warming?

Currently, airplanes account for up to 4% of two global warming gases from carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. As the aviation industry grows, so too will its contribution to man-made global warming effects. Analysts predict that within 50 years, airplanes will account for as much as 10% of all such effects.

6. What impact will the increasing popularity of air travel have?

Currently aviation is the fastest growing mode of travel in the United States. In order to handle this growth, 32 of the nation's 50 busiest airports plan to expand. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration reports that 60 of the 100 largest airports are proposing to build new runways.

7. Airplanes are getting quieter, so won't noise problems decrease?

As more people take to the skies, the number of loud "spikes" of noise increases every day for those living near airports, affecting both their living environment and property values.

8. What can be done to cut airport pollution?

Some major solutions include replacing the 10% domestic ticket tax with an aviation fuel tax to provide airlines with an incentive to replace aging and inefficient aircraft with newer, cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient planes; encouraging pilots to shut down as many engines as possible when idling and taxiing, following the lead of Delta Airlines; subjecting airports to the same reporting requirements as other major polluters; and requiring the collection and treatment of deicing chemicals on site instead of allowing them to drain into nearby waterways.

9. Should people avoid flying for the sake of the environment?

Air travel is an integral part of the transportation system, but consumers should consider alternatives modes of travel, such as high-speed rail, when possible, especially for shorter distances. Consumers can also help by demanding that airports be subject to the same rigorous standards and reporting requirements as their industrial neighbors.