RENTON, Wash. – As part of the Seattle Seahawks' ongoing sustainability efforts, Delta Air Lines, the Official Airline of the Seahawks, has offset carbon emissions from the miles the Seahawks traveled during the 2017 season by purchasing 1,080 carbon credits from Cedar Grove Composting.
The Seahawks traveled approximately 25,688 miles for road games during the 2017 regular season on Delta charter flights, which ranks sixth in the NFL. Delta's carbon offset program, which launched in 2007, was the first offered by a U.S. carrier to allow travelers to offset travel emissions by investing in environmentally-friendly projects around the world.
"Being a good steward of the environment in the communities we serve is a core value of Delta's and is especially important to our Pacific Northwest customers," said Tony Gonchar, Delta's Vice President – Seattle. "We are proud to deliver on this commitment through our carbon offsets program and to bring our commitment to sustainability together with our great partners at the Seahawks."
The Seahawks divert approximately 16.4 tons of food waste from landfills per home game at CenturyLink Field, and that material goes to Cedar Grove Composting to be produced into compost. By diverting food waste materials from landfills, no methane gas is generated and is instead converted into nutrient-rich soil to be used across the region in school gardens, stormwater management projects and more. In October 2017, the Seahawks and First & Goal Hospitality (FGH) announced a partnership with Cedar Grove Composting and Sound Sustainable Farms to grow a custom menu of organic vegetables in compost to be served on gameday at the stadium.
CenturyLink Field continues to be one of the most environmentally-friendly and sustainable sports and entertainment facilities in the world. Earlier this month, CenturyLink Field earned a "WasteWise" award from the Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce waste and save resources.
Sustainability efforts at CenturyLink Field include:
- Donation of 600 lbs. of food to FareStart, Food Lifeline and Salvation Army after each home game
- 97% waste diversion rate in 2016 and more than 95% each of the last four years
- All food service products and vessels are compostable
- Transitioned to paper-based, ocean degradable straws in 2017
Utilities:
- 25% of the stadium's energy consumption generated by on-site solar
- 24% energy reduction by installing LEDs and automating lighting
- Use 1.3 million gallons less water per year by installing low-flow fixtures
Food:
- First stadium to be Smart Catch certified, 95% of seafood served by FGH is certified as sustainably harvested
- Pork, chicken and beef is sourced from local farms and ranches practicing humane and sustainable farming
In 2015, Delta and the Seahawks celebrated the extension of their partnership and Delta's status as Official Airline of the Seattle Seahawks. Delta provides charter service for the team to and from each road game. Delta is also represented at CenturyLink Field with a wraparound entitlement space and the Delta Sky360 Club, which spans the entire Club Level at CenturyLink Field. The airline also supports the team's five-state, 48-station Delta Air Lines Radio Network.
Delta is the only airline to cap greenhouse gas emissions at 2012 levels by purchasing carbon offsets – more than 2.5 million in 2017 alone, and more than $8 million-worth since it started the voluntary effort. The Seahawks program builds on the airline's efforts to continue the carbon-neutral growth it has maintained since 2012 and builds on its industry-leading program that encourages customers to use the carbon calculator at delta.com/co2 to estimate their carbon emissions associated with trips and invest in carbon offset projects of their choice.
About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year. It is the only airline to be named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and has earned this position for seven consecutive years. In 2017, Delta was the recipient of Keep America Beautiful' s 2017 Vision for America Award and was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented seven consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 314 destinations in 54 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, São Paulo, Seattle, Seoul, and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta.
About Cedar Grove Composting
Cedar Grove Composting is a local, family-owned business with deep roots in the Seattle area dating back to 1938. Cedar Grove plays a critical role in the Puget Sound's recycling infrastructure and sustainability efforts, diverting yard waste and food scraps from landfills. With processing facilities in Maple Valley and Everett, Cedar Grove is a local manufacturer providing green jobs in King and Snohomish Counties. Cedar Grove produces wholesome, nutrient-rich compost used by farms, businesses, governments and residents, ensuring consumers have access to locally produced, recycled products. For more information, please visit www.cedar-grove.com.
About Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1976 as an expansion team. The Seahawks have won 10 division titles and three conference championships. They are the only team to have played in both the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC) championship games. They have appeared in three Super Bowls, (Super Bowl XL, Super Bowl XLVIII and Super Bowl XLIX). The Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl XLVIII to win their first title. The team plays at CenturyLink Field in downtown Seattle and is owned by local businessman, investor, and philanthropist Paul Allen.
