Boeing volunteers at Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail in the Cascades on National Trail's Day.

Boeing photo

Boeing employees are answering the call to respond to global climate change by making flying more environmentally sustainable. Read about it in the 2020 Global Environment Report, released today.

The report showcases Boeing employees from engineers designing products and materials that are more efficient; to facilities professionals powering factories with more renewable energy, employees conserving resources, and the company partnering across the globe to protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and advance STEM environmental education in support of business strategy and values.

"Our report shows how Boeing employees are innovating and operating to make the world better," said Greg Smith, Boeing executive vice president of Enterprise Operations, chief financial officer and interim leader of Communications. "Innovation is part of Boeing's DNA and we apply this inventiveness to help solve the fundamental global challenge of climate change."

Boeing's 2019 environmental highlights include:

• Developing new products that are 15% to 25% more efficient, enabling the industry to achieve a global carbon-neutral growth starting in 2020 with a 50% reduction by 2050.
• Offering airline customers the option to fly their new airplanes home on sustainable fuel.
• Securing more renewable energy to power operations, building on strong track record of two factories 100% renewable-energy powered, with half of  total electricity c coming from carbon-free hydroelectric and other renewable energy sources.
• Reducing solid waste sent to landfills by 15% and water consumption by 7% since 2017
• Testing new wing fin technology on  ecoDemonstrator flight laboratory, improving efficiency during takeoff and landing, which enables an airline flying 100 jets equipped with these fins to save up to 3 million gallons of fuel a year— the equivalent of taking about 3,800 cars off the road.
• Collaborating with partners, such as Discovery Education and local nonprofits, to support environmental sustainability through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), community involvement in green infrastructure, land conservation, habitat restoration and resiliency.
• Receiving an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for Sustained Excellence for the 10th consecutive year

"Like most college students, I'm part of Generation Z and environmental sustainability is really important to me – personally and professionally," said Boeing Intern Lily Dean. "This report made me so proud to work at Boeing because there is so much thoughtfulness in our approach to environmental sustainability. Plus, it's easy and fun to read."

Boeing is working to achieve ambitious environmental goals by 2025, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25%; water use and solid waste to landfill by 20%; energy use by 10%; and hazardous waste by 5%, at worksites. Boeing's industry-leading fuel efficient product offerings are enabling the industry to achieve a global approach to carbon-neutral growth starting in 2020 and a 50% reduction by 2050.

By Monica Zimmer