Plane Truth – Aviation's Real Impact on People and the Environment : Aviation's Real Impact on People and the Environment

An engaging critical account of the aviation industry, which debunks a number of misconceptions and self-justifying myths.

As aviation is celebrated as one of the world's fastest growing industries, with passenger numbers and cargo volumes projected to double in the next 20 years, Plane Truth sounds a note of caution. In addition to the environmental impact of airport expansion, devouring farmland and wildlife habitats, and aviation's impact of noise and air pollution on communities, Rose Bridger reveals the extraordinary government subsidies for the aviation industry, encompassing government expenditure on infrastructure to tax breaks, all of which serve to support the industry in the face of rising oil prices and global economic downturn. Disavowing 'greenwashing' claims of fuel-efficient aircraft and alternative fuels that will enable growth without climate change, from British Airways to American Airlines, the symbiotic relationship between aviation and the wider socio-economic problems facing humanity is manifest.