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Southwest Airlines’ “Green Star” Shines Bright!

ghardage
Explorer A

Southwest Airlines is HOT these days, and the whole planet is noticing!  And I do mean the whole planet!  Not only were we recently ranked fourth on Fortune magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies, but from that list, they separately recognized the Most Admired Green Leaders--one of whom is our very own Communication Manager and Southwest Green Team Leader, Marilee McInnis!

We always knew she was a Super Star, but now she is officially a Green Star according to Fortune, who praised Marilee’s efforts to publicly highlight Southwest Airlines’ environmental consciousness and incorporate it into our business model.  From championing our Companywide recycling program to working on larger operational initiatives to enhance fuel efficiency, Marilee’s influence has almost made Green as much a part of our brand colors as Canyon Blue and Red.  One of those initiatives (still in the testing stage) involves refitting our cabins with lighter-weight and recyclable materials, such as carpeting, seat covers, and life vest pouches. By reducing the weight of our aircraft, we not only save fuel but also reduce emissions.  And greater fuel-efficiency means greater cost savings, which clearly helps our bottomline.

Thanks to the efforts of our Green Team and each one of our Employees, the mantra of "reduce, reuse, recycle" has become part of everything we do.  From reducing the number of documents we print, to reusing office supplies (even stapling together old papers and using the reverse side for a note pad!), to recycling everything from cans, paper, and plastic to ink cartridges, batteries, cell phones, and oil, Southwest Airlines Employees have taken environmental consciousness to a whole new level. The fuel-savings initiative above is just one of the projects that Ground Operations, Flight Operations, and Maintenance Teams are working on to operate our aircraft more fuel-efficiently, on the ground and in the air.  And folks, this doesn't begin to cover the countless other ways we can save time, money, energy, and resources through the individual, responsible choices we make in our own jobs every day.  The results truly are remarkable.

Congratulations to Marilee, and every Employee who supports our entire Green Team, for their outstanding work and to all of our Southwest Employees for doing their part to keep Southwest Airlines focused on our Performance, our People, and our Planet.  I’m LUVin it!!