He added , “ We have always had an outsized influence to change the industry .” He also noted that Alaska was the first to use GPS to guide aircraft , as well as using the internet to sell commercial airline tickets online .
The most visible form of environmental concern for consumers is the form of waste . Did you know that Alaska Airlines was the first airline to recycle in-cabin waste materials ? This concept was created by the flight attendants . Although the program was on pause during the height of COVID , due to safety concerns , it is now back up and running . They also have a goal to replace the top five waste-producing inflight service items with more recyclable or renewable alternatives by 2025 . In 2021 they took care of the first two , cutting out plastic water bottles for a boxed water alternative , and using recyclable paper cups instead of plastic for water service .
Regarding carbon emissions , Alaska ’ s website states , “ In April , we shared our commitments to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 with a five-part strategy to decarbonize , which includes :
1 . Fleet renewal
What Passengers / Guests Can Do to Help with Sustainability Efforts
1 . Pack lighter – by reducing the weight of your bags by five pounds , you can help reduce Co2 emissions .
2 . Bring your own refillable water bottle and fill it up after going through security . This can greatly reduce plastic bottles , paper cups and other resources .
3 . Don ’ t print your boarding pass – use the electronic version to reduce waste .
4 . Fly the most direct route .
5 . Take public transportation to and from the airport .
6 . For more information : Relax ! You ’ re flying greener , just by choosing Alaska – Alaska Airlines Blog . https :// blog . alaskaair . com / alaska-airlines / relax-and-fly-greener /
2 . Operational efficiency 3 . Sustainable aviation fuel ( SAF ) 4 . Novel propulsion
5 . Credible , high-quality carbon offsetting technology
APRIL | MAY 2021 ISSUE NO . 26 27