Southwest Airlines Community

When we conceived of the idea to upcycle our used leather seats from our cabin redesign, we hoped to accomplish three things: to do something innovative, help people look at waste a little differently, and make a difference in people’s lives. The story of James Jafya illustrates how a commitment to sustainability and upcycling can make a difference.  James' story epitomizes what I hoped to achieve through the LUV Seat project, and I hope you are as moved as I was hearing it. In this world so much is wasted that could be put to good use.  And at Southwest we are trying our best, but we need your help.  We need your help to find ways to use the 43 acres of leather we removed from our aircraft, and we want to see more great stories like James’. Let us know if you have an idea on how to repurpose the leather or an organization that can benefit.  Tweet or Facebook your ideas using the hashtag #LUVSeat.  You can find more stories of the LUV Seat project at www.swamedia.com/luvseat or at www.facebook.co.m/southwest.  We’re starting with leather, but who knows where the journey will take us from here. ... View more

Today Southwest Airlines is excited to launch LUV Seat: Repurpose with Purpose, our Company’s newest global sustainability initiative that will upcycle the used leather seat coverings from the Evolve retrofit into brand new products that support local communities.  Through the initiative's pilot program, the products will benefit communities in Kenya, Malawi, and the United States by providing access to employment, skills training, and livelihoods. LUV Seats leather arrives at SOS Kenya to be stored, prepared, and shipped to partners. Upcycling—not to be confused with recycling—is the process of converting waste materials into new materials or products of better quality/better environmental value.  During the Evolve retrofitting we removed the equivalent of 43 acres of leather seat covers from our aircraft—leather that we didn’t want to discard in a landfill or shred.  We wanted to do something better, which is exactly what we are doing through LUV Seat. At Life Beads Kenya, teaching beading skills helps young adults find new lives. Today, phase one of the project begins with a training program in Nairobi, Kenya, where young adults learn skills to make shoes, soccer balls, backpacks, and other leather goods—giving them the critical skills needed to participate in the economy.  By donating our leather and providing grants to create this training program with local social enterprises, Southwest is able to ensure that these products are given back to the local community, reinforcing our commitment to global citizenship, and strengthening and expanding our focus on sustainability. When visiting the organizations we are partnering with in Kenya—SOS Children’s Village Kenya, Alive & Kicking, Maasai Treads, Seed of Hope, and Life Beads Kenya—it was amazing and humbling to realize that something we place little value on—used leather—is life changing for these organizations, its members, and the local community. Leather from the Evolve redesign will be made into shoes and donated to the Nairobi community. Realizing that 500 leather seat covers will make nearly 2,000 pairs of shoes to help prevent Kenyans from getting jiggers in their feet, or 1,000 soccer balls so kids can learn about health education while playing with a real ball, shows the importance of looking at used goods in a new way and giving them a second life.  It makes me very proud of everyone at Southwest who worked on this special project—the Company's Green Team who developed the idea; VP of Supply Chain Management Bill Tiffany, who grew up in Kenya, pointed us in the right direction and advocated for the effort; and Southwest’s Senior Leadership, including CEO Gary Kelly, who supported the idea and helped make it come true. And this is just the beginning.  We have even more used leather from the retrofit, and we need your help to find other opportunities where it can make a difference!  Have an idea?  Use hashtag #LUVSeat and tweet or post to Facebook your great ideas and organizations that could benefit.  To learn more about the project and meet James and Robinson, two of the many Kenyans that we hope will benefit from the program, go to www.facebook.com/southwest and click on the leather tab or visit www.swamedia.com/luvseat.     ... View more

I don’t know many Southwest Employees who don’t feel like a member of the Southwest Family.  Our Family is never truer than when we face a significant life moment or something that requires a little TLC.  When I had surgery, receiving a Southwest blanket and heart pillow brightened my day and made me feel better!  These little bits of comfort came from the Internal Customer Care (ICC) Team whose whole responsibility is making Southwest Employees feel like family. Recently, FORTUNE Magazine was on the lookout for cool jobs at FORTUNE 500 companies–jobs that are unique to their Company that you probably won’t see anywhere else.  I am thrilled that FORTUNE chose our ICC Team as one of those cool jobs and highlighted the Team in a recent article. As FORTUNE was talking with the Team, I was able to sit-in on the interview and hear the stories and life-changing moments they face every day as our Employees go through life.  I cried and laughed with them hearing about how they support our military Employees and their families while they’re deployed; how much Southwest’s support and caring meant when a family was facing a cancer battle and, ultimately, a loss; and how they celebrate the joy of the birth of a long-awaited child.  It made me realize how unique and special this Team is and how amazing it is that we have a Company that considers Internal Customer Care such a priority.  Congrats to the ICC Team for not only having a “cool job,” but also for making a difference each and every day for Southwest Employees. ... View more

Gift wrap is one of the most wasteful items—we use it once and then toss it.  Each year, the annual trash from gift wrap and shopping bags totals four million tons!   Instead of ending the holidays with a mountain of trash, consider making it a green Christmas:  Paper grocery bags: Brown paper packages tied up with string; these are a few of my favorite things!  This time of year, most stores will make their bags extra festive with holiday designs, so if you forget your reusable shopping bags don’t fret, the holidays can give them a second life. For the final “Von Trapp” touch, finish with twine.     Yarn:  If you like to give fruit or other small, round objects (hopefully not coal!), try using yarn as a fun, tricky option for those hard-to-wrap items.  Use a small piece of tape to get it started, and enjoy watching your friends and family unravel it later.  Just roll the yarn back up and it’s ready for next year. Newspaper:  The Sunday comics section is bright, colorful and easy gift wrap.  Even if you have black and white paper, it doesn’t have to be boring!  Add a quick newspaper bow to turn black and white into something chic and festive.  Odds & Ends: Look for items you already have—old maps, magazines, and fabric can turn into great gift wrap.  Even unlikely items like balloons can be repurposed—those foil Mylar balloons make excellent gift sacks.  You can re-use just about anything, so keep your eyes peeled and experiment.If you prefer buying your wrapping paper, look for rolls with a high percentage of recycled content.  Or, select cute, reusable containers like tins or baskets to use instead.  What do you use for green wrapping paper?  Let us know by commenting below.  DING!  You are now free to be Green! ... View more

Happy Green Tuesday!  It’s that time of year when kids head back to school.  Did you know that about 1.6 billion pens get thrown away each year?  Or, that on average, a U.S. elementary school cafeteria will generate more than 18,000 pounds of trash? In honor of the back-to-school season, here are some great tips to keep in mind for going green this school year: Hike, Bike, or Carpool.  Walking or riding a bike to school allows kids to get the daily exercise they need.  If neither option is possible, carpool and save the gas. Buy reusable supplies.  Instead of purchasing pens and pencils you’ll toss as soon as the ink/lead runs out, pick up refillable pens and pencils!  Also, opt for the solar-powered calculator rather than the battery-operated one. Ditch the brown bag lunch.  By investing in a lunch box that you or your child can use daily and using Tupperware rather than Ziploc bags, you’re reducing the waste pileup greatly!  Carrying a reusable water bottle every day is also a great green investment and helps kids keep hydrated. LUV your backpack. Choose styles or designs your kids like and will reuse that can last a few years.  When it’s time for a new one, pass them along to someone else or donate them! Happy “Back to School” to all the parents out there!  Do you have a tip on how to live, learn, or work Green?  Let us know at by commenting below or at Green@wnco.com. DING!  You are now free to be Green!  ... View more

Visiting friends across town, heading into work, or going shopping means that, for the majority of us, we have to hop into our cars and drive.  Brian Lusk wrote a great Green Tuesday post a couple of weeks ago about his commute on public transportation to work, and we certainly encourage you to think of the alternatives to driving, such as public transportation, carpooling, and discovering bike paths. But, if you have to get into the car, here are some tips to help you save Green and go Green: Smooth and Steady.  Braking frequently and rapid acceleration can really lower your gas mileage.  Avoid the rush. While vehicles perform differently, gas mileage usually decreases above 60 mph. According to www.fueleconomy.gov, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.29 per gallon for gas. Take a load off.  Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to two percent. Air!  You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every one psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are also safer and last longer. For more information, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/.  How do you live, work, and transport Green?  Let us know at by commenting below or at Green@wnco.com.   DING!  You are now free to be Green.  ... View more

I’ve written before about my rescue dogs, Polly and Samuel Adams—great dogs that really brighten up my day and my life!  I’m always looking for ideas and tips to help make sure they stay healthy and happy well into senior-hood.   I stumbled across these great ideas to help your pet go Green from http://www.treehugger.com/, and thought you might enjoy them too.    Adopt from a shelter.  Why buy when you can adopt one of the 70,000 puppies and kittens born every day in the United States?  Love knows no pedigree.  Check out Petfinder.com to find your perfect match. Spay or neuter your pet.  As we mentioned above, 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day in the United States.  In addition to controlling the population, spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives. Think organic.  Since nutrition is one of the key determinants of health and resistance to disease in your pet, you’ll want your pet's chow to be comparable in quality with what you would eat.  Natural and organic pet foods use meats that are raised in sustainable, humane ways without added drugs or hormones, minimally processed, and preserved with natural substances, such as vitamins C and E. Certified-organic pet foods must meet strict USDA standards that spell out how ingredients are produced and processed, which means no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial preservatives, artificial ingredients, or genetically engineered ingredients. Pooper Scooper  Scoop up your dog waste in biodegradable poop bags so it isn’t in a landfill somewhere for hundreds of years.  Eco-friendly cat litters avoid the clay sediment found in clumping cat litter that can contain carcinogenic silica dust and sodium bentonite that can hurt your pets’ lungs and organs. Go sustainable.  Look for toys, collars, and leashes made from recycled materials or sustainable fibers (sans herbicides or pesticides) such as hemp.   You can even get pet beds made with organic cotton or even recycled PET bottles. Natural Clean  Lather up your pets with natural pet-care products for clean goodness that’s also good for the planet.  Also, look for cleaning products that are earth-friendly or that you know are gentle on the Planet and your pet’s delicate senses.  Have fun with your pets and let us know what you do to Green your pet by commenting below!  Do you have a tip for Green Tuesday?  Let us know at Green@wnco.com.  DING!  You are now free to be Green!  ... View more

I really enjoy the Green tips we receive in the comments on the blog and in our Green mailbox. I am consistently impressed with the ingenuity of Southwest and AirTran Employees and the ways you try to reduce your impact on the environment, use resources wisely, and save some Green!   Below is a roundup of tips received: I am trying to go green and found out that used coffee grounds, set out on the counter, help to absorb odors and acts as an air freshener. I was tired of all the mailed envelopes I receive (with three teenagers we still have plenty) and started cutting the old envelopes to use as scrap paper! For composting and helping the garden our rule is if it came out of the ground, put it back into the ground to yield better crops in the garden. This includes the used coffee grounds, celery stalk ends, carrots, onions, peelings from any fruit/vegetable, and egg shells. The egg cartons can also be cleaned and used by kids to paint and mix different paints in the separate spaces.  Kathleen Bleam, AirTran Savannah Res Ask your dry cleaner or launderer to not bag your clothes. Surely your car isn’t that dirty?!  Kent L. Larson, Corporate Facilities I have yet another use for dryer lint. A good "hot" compost pile should have a roughly 70/30 ratio of green (nitrogen) material to brown (carbon) material. A good brown source is dryer lint. This info came from a recent lunch and learn session on composting at Headquarters.   Rick McKinley, DAL MX I’d like to remind my Co-Hearts who leave for the day and leave various office and desk items on (lights on their cubes, lamps, computers, etc.) to turn these things off at night to help the Company save money on energy costs.    Megan Simon, CS&S Keep the tips coming by sending them to Green@wnco.com or by commenting below!  DING!  You are now free to be Green! ... View more

Southwest Airlines achieved record revenues of $15.7 billion in 2011.  It took Southwest its first 24 years (1971-1994) to generate a cumulative $15.7 billion in total operating revenues. Southwest’s Employees volunteered more than 114,000 hours, which is enough time to fly from Baltimore/Washington to Los Angeles 24,516 times. More than 2,600 tons of material was diverted from landfills and into recycling facilities through Southwest’s co-mingled recycling program, which is equal to the weight of more than 61 Boeing 737-700s. The below infographic puts into perspective some of these amazing things Southwest accomplished in 2011.   Our recently released integrated annual report, the 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report™, illustrates our commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet, which creates a Culture of consistent yearly profits, enthusiastic Employees, respected Customer Service, active community involvement, and environmentally responsible decisions. The One Report details Our Performance and record load factors, illustrates that Our People are our greatest asset, and discusses how we use resources responsibly to help Our Planet. We are proud of our commitment to being a good citizen of the world, so go read the One Report. When our Customers or your family and friends ask, you will have even more reasons why Southwest is the best Company to work for!  Enjoy reading the 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report™, which, in an effort to conserve our natural resources, can only be found online at www.southwestonereport.com or www.southwest.com/citizenship. ... View more

Thanks for all the great comments on last week’s Green Tuesday post – dryer lint was a very popular topic!  Some of the comments made me think, and I wanted to explain why I think it’s important that Southwest focus on the triple bottom line, specifically the Planet.  Yes, we are a Company that burns fossil fuels, and it's integral to our business and will continue to be.  For 41 years, Southwest has had a philosophy of operating efficiently, and efficiency is the foundation of our environmental commitment, because, at its heart, efficiency is the elimination of waste. Whenever we put a Green filter on our business decisions, it usually translates back to our bottom line. We wash our engines, because cleaner engines run more efficiently, which saves fuel and reduces emissions. We recycle because every time we do, we reduce our waste pickups, which is a direct bottom line savings.  We don’t waste, we reuse what we can, and we are always looking for ways to be smart about our business – that, to me, is the essence of a sustainable Company – we are built for the long haul and contribute in a positive way to society, each other, and the world in which we live.  We're in the business of "go, see, do," so I think it's even more important that we do our part - in whatever small way we can - to help our Planet, so our Customers will have something and someplace to go, see, and do.  It makes me proud to work at Southwest for many reasons, but also because we are focusing on the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.  If you want to read more about what we accomplished in these areas in 2011, go read the Southwest Airlines One Report at www.southwestonereport.com.  Now, summer is here and this is a great time to go, see, do.  Here are some opportunities to experience nature, give back, and relax: Camping!  Get in touch with nature and save some green.  Camping fees are pretty inexpensive and so are the activities that go along with camping like hiking, bird watching, and fishing. Take the opportunity to visit one of our National Parks.  Visit www.nps.gov to find the perfect park for you. Volunteer!  Spend your time giving back on a volunteer vacation in a way that is meaningful for you, whether it is working with Earthwatch on an environmental project or Habitat for Humanity building homes around the world.  Check out www.volunteermatch.org and www.idealist.org for vacations that can help you make a positive difference. Relax!  If spa treatments and gourmet cuisine are your idea of a great vacation, why not find an eco-lodge that is sustainable and sumptuous!  Find green retreats at www.concierge.com   Have a great summer, and keep the comments coming!  Let us know what you like to do on vacation by commenting below.  If you have a tip for Green Tuesday, let us know at Green@wnco.com. DING!  You are now free to be Green. ... View more

Have you ever heard of World Environment Day?  Me neither.  Apparently, World Environment Day is held every year on June 5 and was established by the United Nations in 1972 to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment.  This year, the conference will be hosted in Brazil and the theme is Green Economy.   One aspect of “Green Economy” that I found interesting was recycling—using resources wisely and reusing where possible.  This seems like a perfect opportunity to give you a recycling update for our first quarter.  A big thanks to our Cabin Services Team and our super-mega stations for participating in co-mingled recycling.  We processed 683.5 tons of recyclables, up 6.8 percent from 640 tons in first quarter 2011.  We were able to reduce our waste pick-up costs by nearly $20,000 as a result of diverting our recycling—way to go!  For those Stations that are not able to participate in our systemwide co-mingled recycling, nearly 73 percent of you are recycling in some way.  Our Facilities Maintenance Team is actively working with those Stations who have expressed a desire to expand their recycling efforts, as well as working with those that don’t have a recycling program in place, but would like to implement one.  Thank you all very much for being so Green and for working for ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.  Southwest is known as being one of the best when it comes to the Green filter we put on business decisions, because we know that environmental decisions can make good business sense, and our recycling program is one of the leading the industry.  Keep recycling and keep looking for ways to reduce and reuse—even things you think can’t be recycled, sometimes can be.  Here are some ideas for recycling dryer lint (I know, crazy!!) from the website http://www.recyclescene.com/. For paper mache projects, use dryer lint for paper mache paste. To make modeling clay, mix 3 cups dryer lint, 2 cups water, 1 cup of flour, and 1/8 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until smooth. Make sure it has cooled before using, and allow it to air dry several days before painting or decorating. Use dryer lint along with recycled egg cartons to make homemade fire starters. If you don’t feel like taking the effort to make fire starters, dryer lint makes great kindling.  Just add it as-is, along with your kindling and newspaper when starting a fire in your woodstove or while camping. Some people use dryer lint as mulch around plants, but gardeners say it doesn’t last very long. What are some of the off-the-wall things you recycle?  Let us know by commenting below.  Have a tip for Green Tuesday?  Send them our way at Green@wnco.com. DING!  You are now free to be Green. ... View more

I consider May 1 to be an especially awesome day, because this is my Southwest anniversary—who knew I was in for the flight of my life!?   May also brings beautiful flowers.  We’re been lucky that many parts of the country have had some rain this spring, and already there is evidence that April showers really do bring May flowers.  As you are planning your flower beds through the spring, summer, and fall, check out the great online resources to help you maximize the “pretty factor” while reducing the water and replacement factor!  Help your garden go Green! Check out http://www.wildflower.org/plants to find plants and flowers that grow great in your region.  You can type in a kind of plant to see where it grows well, search by state, or by a variety of characteristics, such as appearance and lifespan.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a terrific plant database that you can find at www.plants.usda.gov. For all things nature, check out The Nature Conservancy, which has interesting information about the science behind conservation with practical information you can use. If you are interested in how to design your own native plant landscaping and other tutorials, including best plants to use, check out www.plantnative.org.  Have fun, and let us know how you garden Green by commenting below.  And, take some photos for us and submit them, along with your gardening tips to Green@wnco.com.  We will feature them in a future post. DING!  You are now free to be Green! ... View more

Hello, everyone and Happy Green Tuesday!  April is a pretty special month and one that is right up our alley!  Did you know that Earth Day is on April 22?  Did you know that the week leading up to Earth Day is National Volunteer Week?  April is an opportunity to celebrate our planet and taking care of our communities and each other!  We all know that we are an airline that relies on fossil fuels to keep us flying high, but we also know environmental decisions make good sense and that it’s important to use our resources wisely and be efficient.  In the coming weeks, you will see a bunch of blog posts from volunteers around our system, fun Customer and Employee opportunities to celebrate those that give back their time to our planet that sustains us, and plenty of ideas if you want to get out in nature and combine volunteerism and environmental stewardship.  So, to get you started, below are a couple of resources on National Volunteer Week and Earth Day.  Enjoy the month and a big thank you to all our Employees who make a difference each and every day, whether it’s by volunteering time, showing compassion to those less fortunate, lending a helping hand, recycling, or demonstrating a Servant’s Heart.  Want to learn more about Earth Day and opportunities to get involved?  Check out Earth Day Network’s site at www.earthday.org/2012.  Ready to get out and volunteer?  Go to http://www.volunteermatch.org/ to find an opportunity that’s right for you. Looking for some great Green tips?  For the kids, National Geographic Kids has some fun ideas at www.nationalgeographic.com/kids.  For the adults in the house, the Environmental Protection Agency has tips on saving energy and using water efficiently at http://www.epa.gov/earthday/tips.htm. Have any plans to give back this month or celebrate Earth Day?  Let us know my commenting below.  Have tips for how to live and work Green?   E-mail us at Green@wnco.com! DING!  You are now free to be Green. ... View more

Hard to believe it’s the first day of spring with such dreary rain here in Dallas!  These April (well, March) showers are sure to make for beautiful May flowers.  With so much rain recently, it brings to mind rain harvesting and how we can repurpose this “natural” water to keep our water usage and water bills down—something especially important in drought-prone areas.  Rain harvesting is simply the term for “catching” the rain to use in other ways, such as watering lawns and flower beds.  This is not an expensive process—many barrels with lids can be purchased for about $20 at local hardware and outdoor stores.  The tip is to make sure it is opaque (or dark) and not clear, or it will grow algae.  Once you purchase a barrel, find the best spot to capture the rain and install it about a foot or more off the ground, so you will be able to utilize the pressure to move the water back out of the barrel.  Cut a hole near the bottom of the barrel and install a faucet.  Cut a larger hole in the lid and divert your rain gutter into the barrel.  Install a bit of netting over the whole top to keep out bugs and debris.  If you aren’t this much of a do-it-yourselfer, you can purchase ready-made rain barrels with small pumps. Have fun with this, and if you try it out—or you are already harvesting the rain—let us know by commenting below.  Also, keep the tips and ideas coming for Green Tuesday by e-mailing us at mailto:Green@wnco.com    DING!  You are now free to be Green! ... View more

Happy Green Tuesday, everyone!  Since I am not a morning person, Daylight Saving Time each spring is a hard one for me—it seems to be happening earlier and earlier!  Well, that’s because of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which mandated a month-long extension of Daylight Saving Time starting in 2007. Daylight Saving Time is somewhat controversial in that some believe this change in time doesn’t really save energy, but in a report to Congress in 2008, the Department of Energy said that springing forward does save Energy.  According to the report, extended daylight saving time saved 1.3 terawatt hours of electricity. That figure suggests that daylight saving time reduces annual U.S. electricity consumption by 0.03 percent and overall energy consumption by 0.02 percent.  That may seem like a tiny amount, but given our nation’s enormous energy use, that could represent some major savings.  Whether you think Daylight Saving Time is a good idea or a ridiculous one, saving energy is important for our wallet and our planet!  Below are some tips from the U.S. Department of Energy (www.energysavers.gov)—beyond waking up an hour earlier—that can help you prepare for the warm months ahead: To combat the summer sun, install window coverings to prevent heat gain through your windows. Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. Summer is a time for vacations!  Keep your house warmer than normal when you are away. A programmable thermostat can make it easy to get the temperature just right. If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. When you shower or take a bath, use the bathroom fan to remove the heat and humidity from your home. Your laundry room might also benefit from spot ventilation. Make sure bathroom and kitchen fans are vented to the outside (not just to the attic). On hot days, avoid using the oven; cook on the stove, use a microwave oven, or grill outside.  Add caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows, so the cool stays inside. What do you do to stay cool and go Green?  Let us know by commenting below.  Have a tip for Green Tuesday?  Let us know at Green@wnco.com. DING!  You are now free to be Green! ... View more

We all have to get to work, but how we get to work can determine whether or not we are “going Green.”  Below are some tips to help you be at your fuel-efficient best, because when you use less fuel, you reduce emissions and save money. Environmental decisions make good business sense! The Need for Speed:  One of the best ways to improve fuel economy is to change the way you drive.  Speeding, accelerating, and braking hard can deplete efficiency by 33 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), so drive smooooothly. Lighten Up:  If you have a heavy car, you are going to use more fuel.  Clean out that junk in the trunk and lighten up your vehicle.  Air:  Proper tire maintenance is an often overlooked way to increase your fuel economy.  The easiest way to use your tires to save money is to make sure they're properly inflated.  Tires that are underinflated negatively affect fuel efficiency. Share the Ride:  Look for public transportation options in your city or like-minded folks to hitch a ride—you will save money, avoid traffic, and reduce emissions.  How do you go Green?  Let us know by commenting below.  Have a tip for how to live and work Green? ... View more

We all know how wonderful our Conservation in Action: 40 Projects for 40 Years tour was last year, and how much good we did in the Communities where we live and work.  Well, we are excited to announce that a documentary video of the tour - created by our amazing Multimedia Team - has been submitted in the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship 2012 Film Festival. The festival highlights entries that demonstrate the power of video to communicate the positive impact of a Company’s work in its Community. We need you and your vote to help us become one of the ten finalists, which will then be reviewed by a panel of judges to choose the winner.  Voting is open now and will run through March 3.  You can vote here.  Enjoy watching the video and reliving the good works of Southwest across the United States and then go VOTE!--- And, tell all your friends!     ... View more

Happy Green Tuesday!  Love is definitely in the air, especially at the LUV airline.  I love how we “own the holidays,” especially this one, and I love the traditional celebration we undertake each year – Heroes of the Heart.  The winners this year are very near and dear to my heart, but I won’t give it away in case it hasn’t been officially announced!  This Valentine’s Day, here are some suggestions to help you not only show your love to your Valentine, but also to the Planet:   Look for natural beeswax or soy candles – pleasant scent, romantic glow, no chemicals! What’s smoother than delicious fair trade and organic chocolate?  Show your sweetie you care about her and the forest The perfect gift for him is something with a hint of blueberries and oak – organic and biodynamic wine, of course.  These wines are made using sustainable farming practices Of course, the perfect Valentine’s Day is the one you spend together – have dinner at a restaurant that serves organic and locally grown food or take a walk or hike and enjoy being together It’s easy to show love for your Valentine and your Planet.  Make this Valentine’s Day a Green one.  Happy Valentine’s Day!   How are you celebrating this Valentine’s Day?  Let us know by commenting below. DING!  You are now free to be Green. ... View more

Hello, everyone!  Happy Green Tuesday.  This edition of Green Tuesday is going to talk about onboard recycling.  First, thank you to all our Flight Attendants and Provisioning Agents for recycling onboard the aircraft and supporting Southwest’s commitment to using our resources wisely. By recycling onboard and on the ground, we are able to fund the recycling program, so there is no cost to Southwest, and it removes more items from the waste stream.  This is a big accomplishment, and we are being recognized by our Customers, the industry, and by environmental organizations for our commitment, so thank you to all who participate in recycling—it’s important! You may have noticed recently that plastic wine bottles are appearing onboard.  By switching from glass to plastic, we are saving weight, introducing another recycling element onboard, and saving money—what a win!  This is another testament to the fact that environmental decisions also make good business sense.  The decision to switch was made for all the reasons mentioned and because our wine supplier now offered us the option.  The wine retains its quality in the plastic bottles, and we know our Customers will continue to enjoy this onboard offering.  If you are attending a Message to the Field, please stop by the Green table, say hello to some of our Green Ambassadors and Green Teammembers and learn more about recycling and ways you can make a difference.  DING!  You are now free to be Green. Let us know how you recycle by commenting below.  Have a tip for Green Tuesday?  Let us know at Green@wnco.com. ... View more