According to an article on CNN.com, airplanes contribute over 600 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air every year. That means that they are a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions, and with more people enjoying the comforts of flying every day, the pollution is only getting worse.

To reduce the impact that airline flights have on our carbon footprint, Virgin Atlantic Airways, an airline company owned by billionaire Richard Branson who also founded the popular recording label Virgin Records, is ready to make the first ever test flight using biodiesel fuel.

The Basics of the Flight

Using a blended mixture of biofuel and kerosene, the Virgin Boeing 747 will travel from London to Amsterdam. It will be a test flight with no passengers onboard, and its sole purpose is to determine if this type of alternative energy fuel source can be used for all flights in the future. If it works, it could revolutionize the entire airline industry.

You can read more about this green initiative here.

It’s good to see someone with a LOT of money doing something productive with it. Richard Branson has not only started this eco-friendly airline program, but he also established the Virgin Green Fund, which invests in companies that follow renewable energy practices.