EAGAN, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– In commemoration of Earth Day, Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA) announces an enhancement to its EarthCaressm program with the addition of a carbon emissions calculator. Customers booking online at www.nwa.com can help offset carbon emissions associated with air travel through a donation to The Nature Conservancy, an organization working to reduce the impact of climate change via restoration of critical wildlife habitat through forest conservation and reforestation.
Customers can book their reservation online at nwa.com and upon receiving a confirmation notice, may elect to view the estimated carbon emissions associated with the air travel portion of the itinerary. Northwest’s carbon calculator gives the customers the option to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of their flight by donating to The Nature Conservancy’s environmental work in the Lower Mississippi River Valley and its land conservation projects that surround Northwest Airlines’ domestic hub cities and China.
In addition, customers have the option to join Northwest Airlines in supporting The Nature Conservancy by becoming a member, donating WorldPerks® miles or by providing funding for a choice of land conservation initiatives.
“Our customers have been asking us for opportunities to do their part to conserve natural resources and protect the environment. In response, we are pleased to offer customers a variety of options with enhancements to our EarthCaressm program, which allows customers to join us in promoting positive environmental change” said Tim McGraw, director of corporate environmental and safety programs. “This carbon offset program is another example of our commitment to environmental sustainability and how we will continue to strive to be a conservation leader in the airline industry.”
Northwest’s environmental initiatives are part of the airline’s overall commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Northwest Airlines has enhanced its onboard recycling program which has been expanded to include paper and plastic in addition to aluminum items. The enhanced program begins on Earth Day with a rollout in the hubs Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Detroit, and also includes Las Vegas and Indianapolis. The enhancements will extend to all fifty states and Canada in the coming weeks. Future proceeds from the onboard program will benefit the Beacon Foundation, a non-profit organization developed for flight attendants by flight attendants.
In December 2007, Northwest launched its EarthCaresSM environmental program with a $1 million gift on behalf of the airline’s employees and customers to its founding partner, The Nature Conservancy.
In 2000, Northwest Airlines established a program of fuel conservation and resource management including a $6 billion fleet modernization effort. The re-fleeting program has resulted in a savings of more than 250 million gallons of jet fuel per year which is the equivalent of removing 500,000 cars from the road. The airline has reduced its own carbon emissions by 25 percent since 2000 through its transition to newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft, including the recent delivery of its 32nd A330 aircraft. Northwest now operates the world’s largest A330 fleet, the youngest international fleet and youngest transatlantic fleet of any U.S. carrier.
In addition, Northwest has replaced fuel trucks with fuel carts at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. These carts are stationed at each gate and connect to a system of fuel hydrants. This change reduces the need for trucks on the ground resulting in fuel savings.
Northwest also focuses on recycling and reclaiming most used aircraft parts in many ways. The airline has an active system in place for recycling significant amounts of scrap metal, aircraft parts, tires, wood, chemicals, oil, paper and cardboard generated as a result of normal operations.
Environmental awards
The combination of its fleet replacement efforts and collaboration with airport management recently earned Northwest Airlines the 2007 “Environmental Capacity Award” from the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s Board of Management. Northwest Airlines’ replacement of DC-10 aircraft with A330’s, which are quieter and produce fewer emissions, was viewed by judges as an “active fleet renewal with the best available technology”.
The Minnesota Governor’s Award honored Northwest Airlines’ in 2007 for its fuel conservation and resource management programs. “Conserving Resources – Doing Our Part” focused on proactive fleet modernization, fuel conservation, and material recycling efforts. The Minnesota Governor’s Awards are given out annually to honor organizations, businesses and non-profit institutions for programs or projects that benefit the environment by reducing or eliminating waste and pollutants at the source. Applications are judged on benefits to the environment, economic efficiency, level of commitment and leadership, innovation and ability of the project to serve as a model for others.
Northwest Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam, and approximately 1,400 daily departures. Northwest is a member of SkyTeam, an airline alliance that offers customers one of the world’s most extensive global networks. Northwest and its travel partners serve more than 1,000 cities in excess of 160 countries on six continents.
