Virgin Blue launches carbon offset program

By
Wednesday, 21 March, 2007

Virgin Blue has launched a comprehensive and certified carbon offset program that forms part of its integrated strategy to address environmental impact issues, including greenhouse gas emissions.

The program, which has been certified by the Australian government under the Australian Greenhouse Office's Greenhouse Friendly initiative, provides the airline and its guests with the opportunity to neutralise emissions.

Guests on Virgin Blue can offset their flights for as little as $1. Monies collected via the optional carbon offset program will be used to purchase abatement from projects in Australia and New Zealand.

"As an airline company, we are well aware of the challenge to balance the demand and growth of air travel while at the same time actively working to reduce aircraft emissions. The introduction of this program is a significant step in the right direction and one we hope other airlines will follow," Virgin Blue chief executive, Brett Godfrey said.

"We see our Carbon Offset Program as a step towards creating a sustainable aviation environment. This is a global issue requiring a global response and we believe all airlines around the world, not just in Australia, need to view it as a shared responsibility and act swiftly and today's announcement shows that we are very keen to play our role in this."

The carbon offset program involves two key elements:

  • Guests who travel on Virgin Blue flights will have the option of voluntarily offsetting their share of carbon emissions generated from the flight. They will be offered the opportunity during the flight booking process to contribute towards Australian Greenhouse Office approved abatement projects including such initiatives as forestry activities, energy efficiency measures, waste diversion and recycling and generation of renewable energy.
  • The airline has made a financial commitment to offset the greenhouse impacts of its own crew and staff travelling on company business. This financial commitment, expected to be in the vicinity of AU$500,000 annually, will then be channelled into abatement projects aimed at long-term and permanent greenhouse gas reductions.
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