Let's Review What We've Learned

Sustainability has always been a topic of interest to me, so given the opportunity to write this blog I knew I wanted to integrate it somehow. My knowledge regarding the airline industry was limited, yet something I hoped to learn more about, and as such I felt the two would be a good fit. Going into this my belief was that the only real concern the airline industry had to focus on, in the aspect of sustainability, was due to carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. However, through this process I have learned that the airline industry is more complex than I once thought and there are multitudes of ways in which airlines are, and can take steps to become more environmentally friendly.

My first look into the environmental aspects of the airline industry was a very broad introduction to the area which overwhelmed me due to the vast amount of information available. Straight away my idea of a very specific problem within the industry—greenhouse gas emissions—was thrown out the window and I became more open-minded about what I was about to find.

I then continued on with an airline I was something familiar with, due to previous research into philanthropic work, Virgin America. Virgin America sets the bar for being environmentally conscious as their eco-friendly roots are deeply involved with their basic practices, one of their main goals being “…to build an airline from the ground up that makes environmentally-sustainable practices part and parcel of our business model…”. It is important for companies to step up and act as a leader in sustainable practices and Virgin America has done just that be being the first airline to list their carbon footprint. By providing this information to the general public Virgin America is allowing consumers to make more informed decisions when choosing their airline providers.

Next I addressed the topic of what it means to become carbon neutral. Looking into carbon neutrality, the main company that stood out in the spotlight was NatureAir, based out of Costa Rica. Not only are they a carbon neutral airline, but this is primarily due to them taking this into their own hands by offsetting 100% of their carbon emissions. While other airlines may offer the opportunity for their passengers to purchase carbon offsets, NatureAir takes responsibility for their own actions which I think is to be highly recognized. I knew about carbon offsets prior to this, yet had never heard of an airline that was so aware of their impact on the environmental and take it so seriously.

Keeping sustainability in mind it is important for the airline industry to look at the resources which will be available in the long term. It is common knowledge that oil is not a renewable energy source and as such there is a finite supply. As a result it is important for the airline industry to look to alternative fuel sources for future supplies. Before this research I had heard about alternative fuel sources, yet had no idea what they consisted of. Learning that everyday items such as algae and non-food cellulose can be grown to develop biofuels is something that fascinates me.

Finally I looked at the topic of recycling—something that I never really considered to be part of the airline industry. But just as important as recycling is in our everyday lives, it needs to be treated as a necessity in the air as well. To me recycling seems like a common sense thing to do, something that simply should just be done. Being confronted with numbers such as “…9,000 tons of plastic, enough aluminum cans to build 58 Boeing 747 jets, and enough newspaper and magazines to cover a football field 230 meters deep” blew my mind. I think recycling is something that should be mandatory and with Green America publishing the What Goes Up Must Come Down: The Sorry State of Recycling in the Airline Industry report it has allowed the public to be informed of what is really happening in the airline industry, and will hopefully result in stronger pressures towards the airline industries in regards to establishing policies and procedures in concern to recycling.

Through contributing to this blog I have been able to peel back the layers regarding the environmental state of the airline industry including the strides it has made, and how far it still has to go. I want to thank those who have followed this blog for their support and I hope you have been able to learn a little bit more as to the current state of the airline industry.

Another Piece of the Puzzle: Recycling

It has been established that the airline industry as a whole needs to become more environmentally friendly. However, when considering ways in which these companies can do so, people generally tend to default to considering fuel source options and greenhouse gas emissions. We tend to leave out a large factor in what it means to be environmentally friendly—recycling. There are no set rules and regulations regarding recycling which means that each of the 552 airports within the US decides on their own way to handle their waste. Due to not only lack of procedures and policies, but also lack of education it is estimated that 75% of waste that is generated in airports is recyclable, however only 20% of this is recycled.  This works out to about 500 million more pounds of waste every year that could be recycled and saved from the landfills. To understand the multitude of waste being thrown away by airlines in the US every year picture: “…9,000 tons of plastic, enough aluminum cans to build 58 Boeing 747 jets, and enough newspaper and magazines to cover a football field 230 meters deep”. It is estimated that each passenger creates 1.3 pounds of waste per flight which adds up to 7.5 million pounds of trash generated each day!

Portland International Airport has recognized the impact of the waste being created and has taken steps to minimize this issue and show more support to recycling programs. It was realized that 48,000 of 78,000 recyclable bottles were ending up in the garbage at security checkpoints. To address this issue the airport “…installed liquid dumping stations at the checkpoints allowing travelers to pour out unused liquids and reuse or recycle the bottles”.

The issue of recycling was brought to the forefront, even more so, of the airline industry in 2010 when Green America published the report What Goes Up Must Come Down: The Sorry State of Recycling in the Airline Industry.  Green America is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1982 and “…provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems”.  This report looked at five different categories:

1.       Variety in waste recycled

2.      Future in-flight recycling plans

3.      Size of in-flight recycling program

4.      Education/encouragement of employees in onboard recycling programs

5.      Other in-flight sustainability initiatives

and graded eleven different airlines based on this criteria. Ranked from best to worst are: Delta Airlines, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Jet Blue, American Airlines, British Airways, Air Tran, United Airlines, US Airways. Delta ranked highest due to their work already established within the recycling sector. In 20007 they launched an in-flight recycling program “…which salvages aluminum cans, plastic bottles, plastic trays, beverage cups, newspapers & magazines” on their flights landing in 20 major cities.  However due to the fact that they do not recycle on their international flights Delta was unable to receive a perfect grade.  Look at the video below as Delta Airlines show how they are doing their part to recycle.

Although not included in the grading system, Horizon Air was the leader in recycling programs, starting an onboard-recycling program in the 1980’s. Awarded 2010 Recycler of the Year by Washington State Recycling Association, Horizon Air has policies both on the ground and in the air which allow them to sustain the strong recognition as a recycling company. On flights newspaper, magazines, aluminum cans, plastic cups, and plastic and glass bottles are collected. In addition, in food and beverage locations within their Seattle, Portland, and Boise locations wine corks, cardboard, aluminum and plastic poprings, coffee grounds and shrink wrap are recycled. Not only being a pioneer in the area, Horizon Air is also now a leader recycling about 70% of their onboard waste.

Check out ways in which some airlines are turning trash into fashion as a way of recycling:

http://www.terminalu.com/features/the-eco-friendly-airlines-transforming-waste-into-fashion-accessories/5196/

Sources Used in this Post:

Environmental & Energy Management News . (2010, May 25 ). Horizon Air Gets Nod For Recycling Efforts. Retrieved March 17 , 2011, from Environmental & Energy Management News : http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/05/25/horizon-air-gets-nod-for-recycling-efforts/

Green America. (2010, February 18). New Airline Recycling Rankings: United and US Airways Flunk, while Delta, Virgin, and Southwest get best grades,according to ResponsibleShopper.org. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from Green America: http://www.greenamerica.org/about/newsroom/releases/2010.02.18.cfm

Mahr, K. (2010, August 16). In-Flight Recycling's Slow Takeoff. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from Time: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2008879,00.html

Negroni, C. (2010, February 22). Leaving the Trash Behind. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/business/energy-environment/23recycle.html

Pawlowski, A. (2010, March 2). Sorry state of recycling in the airline industry. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from eTurboNews: http://www.eturbonews.com/14687/sorry-state-recycling-airline-industry

Alternative Aviation Fuel Sources

With the airline industry looking for ways to become more environmentally friendly, finding sustainable aviation fuel sources is a large way in which they can accomplish this. There are numerous names for sustainable fuel sources such as alternative fuel sources and biofuel. Sustainable aviation fuels are describe by the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group as “…ones meeting set sustainability criteria that can be processed to yield a fuel that can be a drop in replacement for, or blended with, existing jet fuel”—meaning that they will not require changes to existing jet engines. They also hold a set of characteristics (as described by the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group):

·         Exhibit minimal impact on biodiversity

·         Meet a sustainability standard with respect to land, water, and energy use

·         Do not displace or compete with food crops

·         Provide a positive socioeconomic impact

·         Do not require any special fuel handling equipment, distribution systems, or changes to engine design

Examples of alternative fuel sources are things such as algae, camelina, halophytes, jatropha, and non-food cellulose. These sources absorb carbon dioxide while they grow and generally have a higher energy content which can results in the saving of millions of tones of aviation greenhouse gas emissions.

Take a look at how algae is being grown to be used as a biofuel! 

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group was launched in 2008 and is “…an airline-led industry working group focused on accelerating the development and commercialization of sustainable aviation fuels”. Currently twenty-four airlines are part of the group who have all signed a sustainability pledge with the common goal of seeking lower carbon emissions and their impacts in hopes of seeing environmental and social benefits. 

So while this sounds all well and good for the environment, how do the participating members volunteer? While in addition to promoting a positive image in the minds of their consumers, and in turn gaining a competitive advantage, through using these alternative fuel sources airlines generally see a reduction in their greenhouse gas emissions which result in less carbon taxes and penalties, saving the organization hefty fees.

An example of the use of alternative fuel sources in aviation comes from Qantas, an Australian based airline. Qantas is on board with the alternative fuel source movement and recognizes “The environmental impacts associated with traditional jet fuel mean it is imperative that we push hard now for the commercialisation of alternative fuel sources”. As a result of the knowledge of how important it is to use alternative fuel sources, Qantas has set a goal to be sourcing 5% of its jet fuel from sustainable sources by 2016. In addition, with its passion towards the positive effects of alternative fuel sources, Qantas wants to position itself as a leader within the airline industry and as a result has created partnerships with innovative companies in the field in hopes of working to develop alternative fuel sources that will one day be used throughout the globe. Hopefully Qantas efforts are just the beginning of what the airline industry has to offer! 

Sources used for this post:

Alaska Airlines. (2010, July 12). Transportation And Aviation Leaders Launch Sustainable Biofuels Initiative . Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air: http://splash.alaskasworld.com/Newsroom/ASNews/ASstories/AS_20100712_082929.asp

EQ2. (2010, February). Sustainable Flying: Biofuels as an Economic and Environmental Salve for the Airline Industry. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from EQ2 Insight: http://www.scribd.com/doc/26566570/Sustainable-Flying-Biofuels-as-an-Economic-and-Environmental-Salve-for-the-Airline-Industry

Qantas . (2011). Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Retrieved March 9, 2011, from Qantas: Spirit of Australia : http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/sustainable-aviation-fuel/global/en

Reals, K. (2011, March 4). Qantas in talks with two other biofuel producers. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Flight Global: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/04/353850/qantas-in-talks-with-two-other-biofuel-producers.html

Sustainable Aviation Fuel User's Group. (2010, August). European Section: Governments’ Unique Role in Sustainable Aviation Biofuel . Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Sustainable Aviation Fuel User's Group: http://www.safug.org/assets/docs/SAFUG_Brochure.pdf

What Does It Mean To Be Carbon Neutral?

With all the talk of airline sustainability there is one phrase that constantly comes up—carbon neutral. So what does it mean to be carbon neutral and how are airlines achieving this status? Carbon neutral as a static definition describes “…fuels that neither contribute to nor reduce the amount of carbon (measured in the release of carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere”. However, due to the fact that airplanes must release carbon dioxide emissions in order to operate they take on a more complex definition of the term. Airlines can “…release CO2 into the atmosphere and still be carbon neutral, so long it is balanced by a CO2 reduction elsewhere”. It is a way in which airlines are starting to take responsibility for the pollution they are causing.  Sustainability is a new way of not only living, but also travelling and airlines that cater to this way of life are able to gain a competitive advantage by offering features such as carbon offsets.  Carbon offsets are credits which may be purchased to support a variety of different programs such as renewable energy sources (wind and solar) as well as protection, compensation, and education programs. Many airlines offer customers the option of purchasing carbon offsets with their flight (price varies with distance travelled). While offering the option to purchasing offsets is a great step in become more carbon neutral some companies are taking the next step and as an organization offsetting 100% of the carbon emissions created through their own efforts.

NatureAir is based out of Costa Rica and The World’s First Carbon Neutral Airline.  Since 2004 NatureAir has committed to compensating 100% of their carbon emissions through their own contributions through a certified program. To accurately estimate how much of an offset is necessary the company looks at a calendar year of how much fuel is burned (including both taxing and flying) rather than simply looking at the individual flights or passengers. The main focus through the compensation is to support reforestation and conservation programs that benefit rain forests within Costa Rica—to date protecting and conserving over 500 acres—that feel the impacts of the carbon emissions the greatest. In addition to the main focus on rainforest protection, NatureAir also works on government recognized compensation programs which protect biological corridors, contribute environmental payment services to local communities and contribute to public education regarding environmental awareness. Offsetting their carbon emissions is a huge step in recognizing their environmental impacts however, NatureAir also looks for ways in which to improve their operations in other aspects such as increasing fuel efficiency through practices such as operating more fuel efficient class of aircrafts, reducing aircraft weight and improving flight plans.  NatureAir recognizes that they are only one part of the puzzle in reducing carbon emissions, “We will always be the first carbon neutral airline; we just hope we are not the only one”.

 To calculate your carbon footprint and ways in which you can offset it, check out this link:

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

Sources Used:

David Suzuki Foundation. (2009, July). Purchasing Carbon Offsets: A Guide for Canadian Consumers, Businesses, and Organizations. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from David Suzuki Foundation : http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/resources/2009/purchasing-carbon-offsets/

Gable, C. &. (n.d.). What does carbon neutral mean? Retrieved March 4, 2011, from About.com: http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/glossary/g/carbonneutral.htm

Martin, L. (2006, October 26). Carbon Neutral - What Does It Mean? Retrieved March 2, 2011, from Ezine Articles : http://ezinearticles.com/?Carbon-Neutral---What-Does-It-Mean?&id=339090

NatureAir. (n.d.). The World's First Carbon Neutral Airline. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from NatureAir: http://www.natureair.com/carbonneutral/