How to Recycle Idle 747s? Turn Them Into Cheap Lodging

It was only a matter of time before old planes would be recycled into something, well, kind of cool. The Jumbo Hostel, a converted Boeing 747 within walking distance to the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, will begin taking reservations in December for travelers wanting to sleep in a real, live cockpit! (On a grounded jet.)

The old plane, a discard from Transjet, has been remodeled into 25 rooms with 85 beds and "sanitized in its entirety," writes owner Oscar Dios. While rates haven't been established, Dios promises even more visitors by also operating a cafe at the "landmark" open for aviation enthusiasts as well as guests.

It may sound a bit corny, but hey, at least one poster on the Los Angeles Times travel blog was excited at the prospect. This kind of building, like the shipping container TraveLodge in Uxbridge, England is the real green deal. Using recycled materials to be used in a new way is what sustainability is all about, right? I'm now waiting for all those Hummers to be turned into quaint beachfront condos.