"Go" before you go

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one9

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By Guardian Unlimited - Guardian Newspapers 2006
Published: 11/30/2006

Skip the Toilet, Save the Planet, Says Airline

Could it be the first flush of environmental awareness in China? One of the country's leading airlines has begun encouraging passengers to use the toilet before they board flights as a way of saving energy.

Chinese Southern Airlines hopes to reduce costs with the new policy because it estimates that a single flush at 30,000 feet uses a litre of fuel, the Xinhua news agency reported yesterday. "The energy used in one flush is enough for an economical car to run at least 10km," pilot Liu Zhiyuan was quoted as saying.

The airline also hinted at plans to improve efficiency by carrying fewer creature comforts. The company estimates the average aircraft in their fleet uses 60 tonnes of fuel a day simply to carry blankets and pillows. Reducing the human waste in the aeroplane's tanks would also save 47m yuan (=A33m) per year.

China Southern's main motivation is to balance its books after a poor financial performance. But its effort to save fuel is likely to be welcomed by the central government, which is desperate to improve energy efficiency. As well as the worsening pollution of its air and water, China is rapidly catching up with the US as the worst emitter of greenhouse gases.

Last year, the government announced plans to more than double China's reliance on renewable energy by 2020, which could make it a leading player in the wind, solar and hydropower industries.

Environmentalists welcomed the China Southern policy. "More companies are trying to portray themselves as trying to help the environment," said Liang Ying, a green activist. "The best motivation to save energy is to ... save money."
 
Unless I'm in a hurry I'll go in the lounge or terminal before my flight (although not a good idea in some terminals). Easier all round.
 
Kiwi Flyer said:
Unless I'm in a hurry I'll go in the lounge or terminal before my flight (although not a good idea in some terminals). Easier all round.

I agree.... But I still can't understand why airlines don't make biger and nicer toilets in business and first class... I avoid being in the tiny bathrooms on airplanes wherever possible.
 
I actually do find the J/F toilets nicer than the whY toilets. Maybe it's psychological.

Obviously there are better cleaning products.
 
When I started reading the article I thought it was a fantastic idea. Wow an airline that is considering new ideas to care for our environment.

Then I read further on and their main motivation is to balance the books afer a poor financial performance. Executives like to take credit when things go OK but find ways to shift the blame when things go wrong.

Slashing executive salaries, to realistic levels, will improve the poor financial performance. Reducing the number of executive positions will improve the poor financial performance.
 
simongr said:
I actually do find the J/F toilets nicer than the whY toilets. Maybe it's psychological.

Obviously there are better cleaning products.

they are very slightly nicer because less people use them and make less mess, as well as slightly more/better toilitry products, BUT there is very little you can do to make toilets nicer when they are so tiny.
 
some airlines do have bigger toilets in first/business on some a/c types - if there is a will it can be done
 
As this is driven by financial, rather than environmental, concerns perhaps they should have coin/note slots for toilet entry and another one to actually get out of the damn thing....:rolleyes:

I was going to suggest more slots for toilet paper and soap dispensers, as well as the toilet flushing, but you wouldn't want passengers to scrimp on these functions..:shock:
 
JohnK said:
Slashing executive salaries, to realistic levels, will improve the poor financial performance. Reducing the number of executive positions will improve the poor financial performance.

If everyone did this - who would be filling up those J seats ;)
 
simongr said:
If everyone did this - who would be filling up those J seats ;)
I don't think this will be an issue on popular business routes.

For personal travel I think you can still to afford to travel in J or F if you only earnt $200K-$300K/pa instead of the ridiculous multi million dollar salaries on offer now.
 
But then what would there be to aspire to? If you're earning $200K and working like a dog - why work like two dogs foronly an extra $100K (which the govt steals half of).

This is something that has bugged me my entire career. Everytime I get close to the next level of benefit (say having an office or a secretary) when I hit that level they move that benefit to the next level! please dont take away my aspirations!!
 
simongr said:
But then what would there be to aspire to? If you're earning $200K and working like a dog - why work like two dogs foronly an extra $100K (which the govt steals half of).
If I ever get to $200K I will let you know. Sadly though the possibility of this happening to me is very remote unless there is someone out there willing to employ me for 25 hours/wk and pay me that sort of money!
 
simongr said:
But then what would there be to aspire to? If you're earning $200K and working like a dog - why work like two dogs foronly an extra $100K (which the govt steals half of).

This is something that has bugged me my entire career. Everytime I get close to the next level of benefit (say having an office or a secretary) when I hit that level they move that benefit to the next level! please dont take away my aspirations!!


Try being part of a younger generation! The baby boomers have had a good life, and are grabbing onto every last piece of it rather than passing it on.
 
I am not quite Gen(wh)Y(ne) more GenX and my parents are spending my money too!!! Best plan - buy a trailer park and fleece them on their round the world trips ;)
 
Personally, I believe if you fly business or first class, the seat cushion should slide away to reveal a potty hole. And when you're done you just press a button and the FA's will come and wipe your backside clean while serving you another champers.

If you're really good, you can aim it so it drops out the plane and hits a poor person.
 
SeatBackForward said:
Personally, I believe if you fly business or first class, the seat cushion should slide away to reveal a potty hole. And when you're done you just press a button and the FA's will come and wipe your backside clean while serving you another champers.
ROFL!!!! :D

SeatBackForward said:
If you're really good, you can aim it so it drops out the plane and hits a poor person.
I shouldn't be laughing but I can just picture some golfer, jogger or someone taking their dog for a walk. What the ....
 
one9 said:
Chinese Southern Airlines hopes to reduce costs with the new policy because it estimates that a single flush at 30,000 feet uses a litre of fuel, the Xinhua news agency reported yesterday. "The energy used in one flush is enough for an economical car to run at least 10km," pilot Liu Zhiyuan was quoted as saying.

one litre of fuel probably doesn't push a plane 1 km though.

I am all for the airline industry becoming more green. Have a look at what you get on a plane - the airline industry probably has more environmental impact than many other industries.

I wonder if RyanAir or our local version Jetstar will pick up on this :)
 
simongr said:
But then what would there be to aspire to? If you're earning $200K and working like a dog - why work like two dogs foronly an extra $100K (which the govt steals half of).

This is something that has bugged me my entire career. Everytime I get close to the next level of benefit (say having an office or a secretary) when I hit that level they move that benefit to the next level! please dont take away my aspirations!!

My aspiration is to avoid ending up in a box on the org chart :)

I don't really aspire to having an office or secretary, although given a choice I'd probably take the office!
 
simongr said:
This is something that has bugged me my entire career. Everytime I get close to the next level of benefit (say having an office or a secretary) when I hit that level they move that benefit to the next level! please dont take away my aspirations!!

I have both but I want a pay-rise! I'd rather have a fat pay-rise than a secretary and an office.:D:D
 
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