One thing that we don’t talk about much on enviro.aero is all the hidden, back-office work being done by companies in the aviation industry to ensure their operations are green. Most of the focus is inevitably on making flights fuel efficient, having energy efficient airport terminals and the use of innovations like biofuels.
But as I was reminded by a post on Airplanes.com today, a lot of companies across the industry are also doing their own housekeeping; with office recycling programmes taking place at airlines, airports committing to only get energy from renewable sources and lots of companies in the industry implementing staff carpooling schemes. Indeed, all of the airline, airport and other staff that work here at Geneva Airport get discounted public transport tickets to encourage us to catch the train to work.
Well known for having the largest building in the world at its manufacturing plant in Seattle (picture above), Boeing has made the following commitment: “by 2012 at its major manufacturing facilities, Boeing targets 25 percent improvement goals for solid waste recycling rates, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions intensity, and a comparable goal for hazardous waste reduction. Boeing has also committed to extend certification to the internationally recognized ISO 14001 environmental management system standard to 100 percent of its major manufacturing sites by the end of 2008.”
Aside from being the world’s first carbon neutral airline, the Costa Rican regional airline Natureair (which actually says it is more of a ‘travel company with wings’…) has implemented a number of company-wide projects to reduce its environmental footprint, including putting on a staff bus so that pilots, cabin crew and office teams don’t have to use their cars to get to the airport.
Of course, many of these programmes are also taking place in companies outside of the aviation industry. Indeed, all companies in every sector should be undertaking environmental reviews to ensure that, aside from their products and services, their own house is in order. Even if that house is a massive aircraft production line facility.
- Photo by Tim Stake (Boeing photographer)
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