This afternoon Continental Airlines is testing a fuel made from algae and jatropha, a tropical shrub, in a Boeing 737 for the first ever biofueled, two-engine flight.  Looking for a cheaper fuel alternative and hoping to reduce their carbon footprint, airlines are increasingly turning to alternative fuel sources.  The New York Times reports:

At Pratt & Whitney, the engine manufacturer, Alan H. Epstein, vice president for technology and environment, said, “It’s the first time in the history of jet aviation that the world is seriously considering going to a totally new fuel.”

And while these greener fuels are exciting prospects, especially for those of us who feel uneasy about our airplane-sized carbon footprint, the implementation of the technology still has away to go.  These plant-based fuels spew much less carbon into the atmosphere then their predecessors, and certainly less then coal or natural gas, which some companies are foolishly attempting to use as substitutes.  However, growing plants for biofuels will require land, running the risk of competing with food crops, which has already proved problematic with ethanol production.  Hopefully, researchers can find a plant that requires very little room and minimal fertilization.

takepart by learning how to reduce your carbon footprint when you fly.

Photo:  Beautyredefined’s Flickr Photostream (Creative Commons)