05 June 2008
Auckland Airport is leading by example for this year's World Environment Day by giving staff and travellers tips on how they can help save the planet.
This year's theme of 'kicking the carbon habit' is to be marked around the world on Thursday 5 June with a series of events and promotions. New Zealand is under the world media spotlight this year as first time hosts of the global event.
Auckland Airport is right behind the initiative and will spend the day promoting '24 messages in 24 hours' to its staff. Starting at midnight a number of messages will be emailed to staff throughout the day with tips, ideas and initiatives on how to reduce carbon emissions in everyday life.
Some lucky travellers at the international terminal will be randomly selected and presented with Auckland Airport cloth eco bags.
The travelling public can get involved in the airport's World Environment Day activities at an Air New Zealand Eco Day being held in the domestic terminal covered car park.
"From solar systems to organic food, anyone in the vicinity of the car park is welcome to come along and have a look at what is on offer," says Di Paton, Air New Zealand's community and environment communications manager. "Some stalls will be providing information on areas such as saving power or water and some will be selling items which are produced in an environmentally friendly way."
Auckland Airport's sustainability manager, Martin Fryer, is delighted that the company is fully involved in supporting World Environment Day.
"It is important to understand that climate change will affect us all. World Environment Day is a great opportunity to raise awareness and promote ways to reduce our carbon outputs. Simple things like switching off appliances at the wall, tuning your car regularly and carpooling or using public transport can make a huge difference.
"Here at Auckland Airport we are so pleased to promote World Environment Day and think it is important as a company to encourage our staff to make changes, no matter how small. The 24 messages in 24 hours is a great way to get staff thinking about what they can do personally.
"As a company we already have an airport wide carpooling programme, have introduced recycling stations in the airport terminals. Our new arrivals area has solar powered corridor lighting, solar water heating and rainwater harvesting. These are just a few of our initiatives."
The 24 email messages in 24 hours will give Auckland Airport staff tips on how to be greener, keep them informed of environmental initiatives the company is making and get them involved in thinking about what they can do to make a difference to the world. The messages include:
- Auckland Airport's carbon emissions profile
- Five tips to save the planet - in the office
- Guess the carbon footprint competition
- What to find at Air New Zealand's Eco Day
- Carbon emissions quiz
- IPENZ award sponsorship announcement
- Promotion of new airport bus services
- Eco bag distribution to international passengers
- Green sponsorship announcement - Hubbard's Carbon Crusade
- Biokachi bin (food scrap bin) display
- Five tips to save the planet - in the home
- Paper recycling at Auckland Airport
- Five tips to save the planet - in the garden
- Energy saver light bulb giveaway
- Energy audit - are all computers/lights turned off at the end of the day?
- Five tips to save the planet - in the car
- Auckland Airport $1,000 donation to New Zealand Trust for Conservation Volunteers
- How much energy has been generated and CO2 saved through the Auckland Airport solar panels
- Promotion of the Auckland Airport carpooling programme.
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Aldworth
Communications Manager
Tel +64 9 256 8917
Mob +64 0 27 474 6483