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Earth Day 04.22.10 and Southwest Airlines Employees

drodgers
Explorer C
Ahh…it’s Earth Day!  What does this really mean you might ask?  Earth Day was founded back in 1970 by US Senator Gaylord Nelson and is designed to inspire YOU!  It is intended to bring awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment.  It is a time in which communities across the globe come together and focus activities on environmental issues.
 
I am so proud to be a part of Southwest Airlines and our Green Team!  One of my roles as a Green Team member is to engage and support our Green Ambassadors.  We have such an amazing group of folks truly interested in the well being of Southwest Airlines success with our Green initiatives.  For example, Orlando Customer Service Agent Alicia will spend this weekend cleaning up litter along Cocoa Beach coastline and Diana, Spokane Customer Service Supervisor, was proud to clean a mile of the Centennial Trail in Spokane for joggers and walkers to enjoy. 
 
We recently asked our Green Ambassadors across our System – nearly 300 – what Earth Day meant to them, along with why they became a Green Ambassador.  Below are some of their answers: 
 
 
“Green means caring for the earth, preserving the earth for future generations. In my opinion Earth Day should be every day. I have recycled for years and do what I can to minimize waste.  As a Green Ambassador I will do my best to influence others to do the same.”  ~Diana, Spokane Customer Service Supervisor
 
 
Being green means being kind to our planet. It means doing our individual part to reduce waste, reuse everything and anything we can and recycle everything we can in our daily lives.  Earth Day is set aside to make everyone aware that our planet is the only one we have; that we need to do everything humanly possible to protect her.  I wanted to be a Green Ambassador to be part of this HUGE & important movement and volunteer to help anywhere I can. ~ Toy, Technology Analyst
 
To me, being GREEN means that you should take every precaution you can to preserve the environment that surrounds us.  Earth Day is the day that (most) everyone take a conscience effort to make the world a better place, environmentally.  I'd like to make the world a more beautiful place, one recycled paper at a time!  Being a Green Ambassador, helps me connect with other people that want to make the world (our work environment) greener! ~ Alicia, Orlando Customer Service Agent.
 
I became a Green Ambassador because I understand how important it is to take care of "Old Mother Earth".  She is what provides us with the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.  Without any of these things we will perish as a people.  ~Chris, OAK Flight Attendant
 
 
My Theory of GREEN; living healthy, via clean air, water, and environment.  Without a clean environment,  healthy living is impossible for me, due to all the chemicals that are being distributed, water. The small things I do, like bike in to work( in theory my six pack will show), shut down my CPU when it not in use, only eat meat one day a week( which helps my cholesterol), and pay my bill electronically, which in theory, cuts down my carbon imprint. By cutting my carbon imprint, does impacts my living for the better.  Earth Day is one of those day I give back to my playground I call earth – doing something specific in its honor.  I have been living a so called Green Life for many years, but only know it has been main stream.  I feel it is a part of my duty to help others find a way of life that is good for the environment as well as them self.  So when SWA started this program, I jumped into action.  ~ Nick, Albuquerque Operations Agent
 
 
To me, being "Green" is just respecting the environment, plain and simple.  Earth Day means being aware of what a difference one person, one gesture can make.  I have always recycled my aluminum cans & my newspapers, and this year I added both e-waste and document shredding to my efforts.  Instead of just throwing away outdated electronics or personal bills and records that are targeted by identity thieves, I am donating them to the proper resources and they will recycle the parts and papers.  3) Way back in high school, I was the vice president of our green club, called "Young Urban Environmentalists".  Since I was a teenager, I have been conscious of my impact on this world, and I just want to do my part to make it better  And if it makes a positive difference for Southwest Airlines, well, that is just icing on the cake.  ~ Heather, Customer Service Agent, New York LaGuardia
 
 
 
So this Earth Day, get your children involved or engage friends and colleagues to join a local effort.  Whether you take time out to clean up, plant trees or simply shorten your shower, know that YOU are making a difference in the overall Green efforts and without your help, Green would just be a word with little meaning behind it.  Happy Earth Day - every day!
 
DING!  You are now free to be Green.