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Old 11-07-2012 | 08:35 PM
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From: blueJet
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Originally Posted by forgot to bid
I'm curious what the CO2 emissions by the metric ton are on our airplanes? Like say an MD-88?

Because if we're charged $20 per ton and that rate rises 6% per year, what would that cost us?

Obama May Levy Carbon Tax to Cut U.S. Deficit, HSBC Says - The Washington Post, November 7, 2012
Ready for some bad news?

The amount of deadly, life-stealing carbon dioxide put out the tailpipe can be calculated from the amount of fuel you're burning.

From my recollection:

Jet-A (Hydrocarbons, Cs and Hs) + Oxygen ---> Water + Carbon Dioxide

Jet-A has different chemical compositions depending on the refining process, but for the most part you're looking at one part Carbon to two parts Hydrogen (plus some other stuff we don't want the EPA to know about... ssshhhhh...) But since one Carbon weighs as much as 6 Hydrogens, on a per-ton basis, 2,000 lbs of Jet-A will contain (roughly) 1500 lbs of Carbon and 500 lbs of Hydrogen.

Bad news is, one Carbon will hook up with two Oxygens, which means that 1500 lbs of Carbon will generate 5500 lbs of Carbon Dioxide.

Or in other words, at $20 per (metric) ton of CO2, Delta will be paying a Carbon Tax of $50 per (metric) ton of Jet-A, or 17 cents per gallon.

Bar can tell you how much that will cost Delta in a year.