Southwest's eco-friendly jet: You are now green to move about the country

Air travel has deservedly gotten a bad rap from the green set. Jet engines spew out huge quantities of carbon, and flying is by far the most energy inefficient way to travel. But that hasn't stopped airlines from trying to paint a green tint on their fuselages. Witness the latest offering from Southwest Air (LUV) -- a "greener" plane.

Southwest unveiled the concept on Oct. 21 -- a standard Boeing 737-300 with many interior modifications to make the plane more eco-friendly. The green plane will incorporate modular carpet from Interface. The carpet is 100 percent recyclable; after it becomes worn and torn, it can be returned to Interface and remanufactured in a completely carbon-neutral process. Southwest will be testing two types of green leather seat covers that are lighter and more durable than traditional airplane seat covers. One of them, e-Leather, is actually made from recycled materials discarded by leather manufacturers.