Recycling and Waste Reduction

From corporate initiatives, such as collection of recyclable materials on flights, to grassroots efforts, such as the waste reduction initiatives launched by individual station employees in offices, on ramps, and in maintenance facilities around our system, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees are making sure that our commitment to environmental stewardship is more than "just talk." Throughout the company, employees challenge themselves and each other to find ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle resources. The following describes just some of the numerous recycling and waste reduction programs that demonstrate our "Alaska Spirit" and our "Horizon Heart":

• Flight attendants at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air collect recyclable materials onboard aircraft to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. The onboard efforts help recycle aluminum cans, paper and magazines, plastic bottles and cups, and glass bottles that are used in our service. Horizon Air was recognized by the Port of Portland as "best in Port" for recycling efforts from 1992-2002 and received two recycling awards for onboard waste recycling: the Pitching In Award in 1996 and an Environmental Excellence Award in 2008.
• As two of the early leaders in e-ticketing and ticketless travel, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air have eliminated thousands of tons of excess paper. We have continued to reduce printed material through the condensing or co-branding of required forms, and conversion to electronic format, such as electronic airway bills. In the past 5 years, we've eliminated over 30% of the paper forms we use to conduct business.
• As of December 2008, both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air have eliminated paper ticket jackets. This saves approximately 10 million ticket jackets, or roughly 850 pulp trees, per year.
• Our internal newspapers, Alaska's World and Leading Edge, are both printed with vegetable-based inks on 100 percent recycled paper. The paper stock is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, a group that monitors compliance with good forestry practices around the world.
• Offices and maintenance facilities throughout the system have implemented recycling programs for aluminum cans, glass bottles, light bulbs, juice and milk cartons, paper, computers, and printer cartridges.
• Maintenance facilities have implemented recycling programs for steel oil cans, used oil, batteries, scrap metals, and wooden pallets.