Not only are Middle Eastern airlines such as Qatar Airlines and airports getting involved in “greening up their act.” Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, one of the largest in the Middle East region, is now becoming involved in improving its environmental profile.
Following the construction of the new Terminal 3 complex, Israel’s Environmental Ministry approved a Master Plan for reducing both noise and other pollutants emitted when commercial aircraft take off and land.
For years, the airport’s management has been required to submit an updated noise contour map on an annual basis to determine the amount of acoustic protection required by buildings close to the airport’s runways and aircraft taxiing areas. In a period between 1999 and 2005, a significant reduction in landing noise levels, from 17.4 to 35.5 % was achieved in noise contour areas around the airport.
The new Terminal 3 complex, since it’s opening in November, 2004, has served more than 29 million passengers and 30 million visitors and employees. In a survey conducted in 2007, the Airport Council International (ACI) the airport was highly ranked among world airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers a year.
Despite this progress, a lot more needs to be done to turn Ben Gurion International into a truly environmental friendly one.
In November, 2008, the chairman of the board of directors of the Israel Airports Authority, Ovadia Eli, issued instructions to the airport management to prepare an operative plan for the airport to function as a truly “green airport.”
The plan is to include ways to reduce air pollution (greenhouse gases) and water pollution and noise pollution, plus treating dangerous substances, recycling waste, conserving energy and using alternative sources and promoting green construction, while preserving natural resources and panoramic views.
As can be testified by virtually everyone who has visited the new facilities, especially those who have flown out of or landed there, the new terminal, with its spacious departure and arrivals halls –– new restaurants and other shops –– and especially with passengers no longer having to be bused to and from aircraft, the new aerial gateway is a great improvement over the older facility that had previously been in operation, with all its congestion, high noise levels and other problems.
The new airport facilities will endeavor to continue offering passengers and visitors a high level of efficiency and service while making a greater effort improve the environmental aspects, including disposal of sewage and food wastes, proven to be a major problem at large airport terminals.
This effort is to be coordinated along with the worldwide trend of “green airports” while continuing the airport’s high level of security for which it is known for.
[image via hendry]
Author: Maurice Picow
Maurice Picow grew up in Oklahoma City, U.S.A., where he received a B.S. Degree in Business Administration. Following graduation, Maurice embarked on a career as a real estate broker before making the decision to move to Israel. After arriving in Israel, he came involved in the insurance agency business and later in the moving and international relocation fields. Maurice became interested in writing news and commentary articles in the late 1990’s, and now writes feature articles for the The Jerusalem Post as well as being a regular contributor to Green Prophet. He has also written a non-fiction study on Islam, a two volume adventure novel, and is completing a romance novel about a forbidden love affair. Writing topics of particular interest for Green Prophet are those dealing with global warming and climate change, as well as clean technology - particularly electric cars.
It’s definitely much nicer than it used to be! Much more efficient, too.
And yes, it does have a train link. Here’s more about the train link (I’d agree with you Maurice – it’s not the method I’d recommend to get anywhere from the airport) and other forms of transportation from Ben Gurion airport.
BG Airport does have train link, depending of course from where you are comng from (from Jerusalem it’s the pits). But JFK, it’s not, and probalby neer will be. And even with all those plastic ane paper food and beverage contianers, it’s still much cleaner over all than the former terminal.
Couldn’t agree more. In fact our site, called Green Thing, has a section called Stay Grounded about exactly this. How to stop jetting around and travel in a slower way – but in a better state of mind.
This video was inspired by a trip to Kew on a beautiful day lying in the green grass looking up at the trees and having the peace and the beauty shredded by the obscene amount of planes cutting through the blue sky of London and the hideous noise pollution they created.
http://www.dothegreenthing.com/content/stay_grounded
It’ll definitely make you think.
Enjoy.
It’s true that Ben Gurion airport of today is much nicer than what it used to be. But I wonder if there can be a movement to eliminate paper and plastic take-away dishes in the airport, and to improve bus links to cities around the country?
Ah, kind of ironic that air travel is the most carbon-intensive way of getting around. Unfortunately for airport administrators, the true Green thing to do with Ben Gurion is to reduce the amount of people flying.