Next time you’re in San Francisco International, check out one of the three new “Climate Passport” kiosks there.

Know what you do with them? You stick your credit card in, and it’ll calculate a fee that will offset the emissions of your flight – it’ll then deduct that amount from your card. Is that genius or what? Even more genius-y – you don’t have to pay this fee. That’s right – it’s voluntary!

But if you did want to pay, the fee for a flight from SFO to JFK would run you about $23 -money that would be used for reforestation projects.

If this sounds like something you’d like to do, go for it. The airport has already shelled out close to $200K on these kiosks, and would probably like to know their work hasn’t been in vain.

Poor Danny Boy - he’s a-wearing o’ the green, alright – but he’s stuck at LAX. Even worse, he’s getting thirsty.

Fear not, me boyo – the Los Angeles Times to the rescue with a new airport terminal guide for beer lovers – so you can get an infusion, fast.

For example, head to LAX Terminal 1 for some Gordon Biersch. In Philly, try the Jet Rock Bar and Grill (Concourses B, D and F) with 48 beers on draft. And in Portland, Oregon, they got Organic Tree-Hugger Porter (why am I not surprised?).

It may not be green, but why quibble? Oh, and remember – do not get drunk on a plane. You don’t want to end up like these guys, do you? And that goes double for you, pilots!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Yes, I know it’s tomorrow, but we Irish like to prepare.

No, it’s not what you think.

We’re talking about switchgrass, a sometime ingredient in so-called “second generation” biofuels (“first generation” biofuels had stuff like corn and palm oil in them, which require a lot of water and land to produce so it’s not real “green” if you catch my drift).

Anyway, Continental is getting into the biofuel testing game (Virgin was the first), to reduce that fabled (and utterly cliched) carbon footprint.

Keep reading, because I have more to say.

So, in early 2009, Continental will send up a biofuel-powered jet to see if it works…or, works well. They must know the plane can fly with this stuff. Otherwise the pilot will have a fit.

Switchgrass? Well, it may be part of the biofuel; they haven’t decided yet. Perhaps they’ll go with coconuts. Or algae. Mmmm.

Virgin Atlantic is going to make a very special test flight next month: the tanks of one of their 747s will be filled with biofuel.

Supposedly, this is the first commercial airline to ever do this. According to the shy and retiring Richard Branson, this demonstration “will give us crucial knowledge that we can use to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint.”

Fine. But I notice that this “test flight” will have no passengers on board. Hmmm.

[Liked this story? Then check out "The Virgin Empire"]

With apologies to Kermit, what the heck’s going on??

On the one hand, you have the International Air Transport Association (IATA) furiously fighting the European Union on their “Emission Trading Scheme” (scheme = Britspeak for plan) which would force airlines to cutback on their carbon dioxide emissions, or pay for it (this is where those “carbon offsets” come in-isn’t that like bribing your way out of greeness?). But wait, there’s more…

In the meantime, the folks at IATA are oh-so-proud of finally eliminating paper airline tickets (or they will next year, anyway). According to the IATA, “eliminating paper will save the equivalent of 50,000 mature trees each year.”

May Mother Nature bless them all.