KLM introduces carbon offsetting
Dutch carrier KLM has become the latest airline to introduce a carbon-offsetting scheme for its passengers, under the name of CO2ZERO. Passengers can opt to offset at the point of purchase, or during the online check-in process, and there is a CO2 calculator so customers can see how much carbon dioxide is produced on average for individual journeys. For example, according to KLM’s calculations, a return flight from Amsterdam to New York emits 1,057kg of CO2, with a suggested offset of €6.39 per passenger. KLM has taken advice from the Dutch wing of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to offset emissions against “gold standard” projects such as solar energy and biogass. For more information visit klm.com.
Czech hotel gains eco-flower
Boutique hotel Chateau Mcely has been awarded an “eco-flower” as part of the European Union’s Ecolabel scheme. The programme rewards “products and services which are a genuinely better choice for the environment”, and includes hotels such as the Hilton Malta and 15 properties across Ireland and the UK. Among the environmental initiatives at Chateau Mcely is a heating system powered by burning discarded wood chips from local sawmills, an on-site wastewater treatment station, and parkland irrigation from collected rainwater. For more information visit chateaumcely.com.
Mercure meetings go green Down Under
Hotel group Accor has launched a carbon-offsetting scheme for meetings and conferences at its Mercure-branded properties across Australia. The group has partnered with the Carbon Reduction Institute to determine the amount of CO2 created by a conference – credits are then purchased through emission-reduction projects (such as the replacement of inefficient lighting, and electricity-use with natural gas). The credits are regsitered through the New South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement scheme (GGAS), with 10 per cent of revenues going towards the Clean Up Australia campaign. Mercure also points out that the cost of making a meeting carbon-neutral is borne by the hotel rather than the conference group. For more details visit mercure.com.
SAS targets emissions reductions
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has targetted a 20 per cent reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2020 (compared with 2007 levels). The carrier says it intends to achive this through “implementing energy enhancements”, and by the possibility of mixing jet fuels with renewable sources. SAS also says that by 2011 all of its ground handling operations will be carried out using environmentally-friendly vehicles. For more information visit sasgroup.net.
By Mark Caswell
