As part of an ongoing commitment to sustainability, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas has purchased 999 metric tons of carbon offsets.
This offset, purchased through the Good Travel program, equates to about one-third of the airport’s total carbon footprint for the year. According to the program, that’s roughly the equivalent in CO2 emissions of 6.4 million passenger miles or the annual electricity use of 150 homes. These particular credits will help fund the use of waste gas and the capturing of methane at the Rio Grande Valley Landfill Gas Project, also in Texas.
Originally founded by San Diego International Airport, and under the operation of the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Good Traveler program provides travelers, airports and their partners with a simple-to-use method of purchasing carbon offsets, to not only make air travel more sustainable, but also to benefit their local communities.
Electrical power for all airport buildings at Austin-Bergstrom is generated by wind turbines, supplied by Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program. Use of this power source has been extended from the terminal to the airfield to power aircraft support vehicles. Since 2012, the airport has used 100% renewable electricity, preventing over 93,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
