Airline giant JetBlue recently announced that they are no longer planning on offsetting emissions generated by domestic flights. The global environmental movement to lower emissions has been gaining steam throughout the world, and JetBlue had intended to do their part by making a concerted effort to reduce their own carbon footprint.
JetBlue’s carbon offset plan was first proposed in 2018 and the company hoped to invest in projects such as efficiency technologies, renewable energy, reforestation, and other methods to reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. The company cited both cost and transportation time as contributing factors to the decision.
Rather than take drastic measures like offsetting emissions, JetBlue is instead undertaking a number of smaller projects to reduce their carbon footprint. This includes increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuels, investing in new aircraft, and improving fuel efficiency across their fleet. Additionally, they are installing electric-powered ground transport, establishing a no-idling campaign, and investing in new building materials that don’t rely on fossil fuels.
Though these steps may not completely offset emissions created by the airline, they do serve as a positive step in the right direction. JetBlue is showing that it is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint, no matter what it takes. The focus of such efforts should not only be on offsetting emissions, but also on reducing them from their source.
It is good to see large companies like JetBlue taking proactive steps towards reducing their carbon footprint. If companies invest in making lasting changes to their operations, then going green may not be as difficult as it seems. Though the decision to halt their original offset plan may be controversial, JetBlue is still taking concerted steps to reduce their carbon footprint through their other projects.