Manchester airport goes 'carbon neutral'... ish

Pity the bright spark who thought this one up. Manchester Airport has caught the greenwash bug, and announced grand plans to be carbon neutral by 2015. The catch? It's expanding flights by 50% and, quelle surprise, not including emissions from flights in in magic calculations.

Its "ambitious plans" involve using renewable energy to power the terminal, swapping some lightbulbs about and, most excitingly, "All toilets in the terminals will be fitted with movement sensors so the lights go out when not in use"!

There's nothing wrong with reducing emissions - indeed, the airport claims it will save 430,000 tonnes of CO2 each year - but the airport also plans to carry 33million passengers per year by 2015; countless planes pumping noxious gases into the atmosphere. When asked who was covering those emissions, the airport bosses said they were the responsibility of the airlines - way to pass the buck!

Green Party Councillor Vanessa Hall, who took part in the recent blockade of the domestic terminal, said: "Manchester Airport could tow the planes to the runway using a fleet of bicycles if they wanted to, but this would not get away from the fact that flying already accounts for 13 per cent of the UK's global warming."

Manchester Climate Action and Manchester Plane Stupid arranged a debate between the airport, climate activists and some climatologists. Video and the like will be on their website shortly.

In other greenwash news, Virgin Atlantic will now be stocking Fair Trade tea and coffee on its flights. We're saved!