Plastic is out and paper straws and reusable cups are in for Singapore Airlines (SIA) as it seeks to shift to more sustainable practices, both in and outside the aircraft.
These moves are just one part of the national carrier’s push to increase sustainability across its operations and lower its carbon footprint.
Even the in-flight catering gets a rethink in the form of the “farm-to-plane” concept. Food is locally sourced, prepared and delivered to the plane at whatever destination it is in, reducing the need for transportation of food to the aircraft from elsewhere.
To save on utilities, about 18% of electricity for SIA Group’s head office and training centres will be generated by solar panels, while rainwater will make up 12% of water consumption.
The company’s eco-digester also means food waste can be disposed of on site, doing away with the need for it to be transported elsewhere for disposal.
“Buying new, more fuel-efficient aircraft is also the most immediate and effective way to reduce those emissions,” said SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong.
The carrier said it has saved 56 million kilograms of fuel since the 2015/16 financial year from efficient operational measures and saved 320 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by fuelling 12 San Francisco flights with biofuel, which is equivalent to planting 680 trees.
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Source: The Straits Times, 7 November 2019