AUS Brings Earth Day to Passengers at Barbara Jordan Terminal
In continuance of Earth Day celebrations, passengers at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on April 23 will have the opportunity to learn how they can reduce their environmental impact as air travelers as well as in daily life. More than 10 participating groups, from airlines and airport concessions to Keep Austin Beautiful and Texas Disposal Systems, will have information booths set up throughout the Barbara Jordan Terminal from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Travelers will have the opportunity to learn about environmental programs and stop by tables for promotional items.
Additionally, an exhibit from the Del Valle High School Art Dept. will be on display in baggage claim, at carousel seven. The sculpture, designed by 10th grader Norvaleigh Ledesma and assembled by students from multiple art classes, was created completely out of plastic bottles collected by the airport and students at Del Valle, and represents the thousands of bottles captured by the airport every day and diverted from the landfill. It is a visual reminder of the importance of both recycling plastic and utilizing the airport’s programs.
Participating groups in the Earth Day event include the Environmental Division of the Aviation Dept., Alaskan Airlines, Jet Blue Airlines, Southwest Airlines, airport concessionairs Delaware North and Paradies Lagardere, Del Valle High School Art Dept., Texas Disposal Systems, and City of Austin Resource Recovery.
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is committed to sustainability and environmentally friendly practices. Each day, 19,000 lbs. of waste is collected from the terminal, of which 6,000 lbs. is diverted to compost and recycling. ABIA has utilized 100 percent renewable electricity since 2012, preventing over 93,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere since 2011. Additionally, electric charging stations throughout the airport for airline equipment and electric vehicles help save energy.
The airport has several programs in place that aim to further improve these statistics. With the “Pour it Out” receptacles at checkpoint entries, passengers can easily pour out the liquids from bottles before placing them in a recycling bin, reducing landfill waste and creating a more efficient beverage recycling process. With the Good Traveler Carbon Offset Program, passengers have the opportunity to help make air travel more sustainable by purchasing carbon offsets at an affordable price.
