Pee Before You Fly

Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) has come up with what has to be one of the most novel (and dare we say, slightly invasive?) way of attempting to reduce carbon emissions. The airline is asking passengers to make sure they travel with an empty bladder.

In a month-long experiment that started October 1, special staff have been positioned at the boarding gates of 42 flights to ask passengers if they’ve been to the bathroom first.

ANA says the move could reduce carbon emissions produced by its flights by up to five tons. If it works – and if passengers don’t object too strenuously – the airline may make the question a permanent part of the boarding process, and expand it to all flights.

According to the UK's The Telegraph, flying is the fastest-growing source of carbon dioxide emissions, accounting for more than 600 million tons of the greenhouse gas per year.

A return flight between London Heathrow and New York's John F. Kennedy airport creates around 2,700 lbs. (1.35 tons) of CO2 per passenger. That’s more than a third of the yearly emissions of an average person worldwide – or in other words, nothing to pooh-pooh.

Photo courtesy mrlego54 via Flickr.