Southwest claims it takes environmental stewardship very seriously and today announced the introduction of a test GREEN plane to its fleet.

This eco friendly plane is a 737-700 model and will feature a series of sustainable features including:

• reduced weight through various materials improvement
• introduction of two new alternative leather products, such as e-leather and IZIT leather, two synthetics which prove to be durable but are both a mixture of man made technology with discarded leather scraps
• recycled carpeting in the cabin
• canvas life vest pouches, instead of metal
• a lighter foam in the back of airline seats which reduces weight
• and an overhaul and improvement of the Southwest onboard recycling program

Environmental Stewardship is a responsibility Southwest takes seriously, and efficient operations are the hallmark of our Company and the foundation of our environmental commitment. Over the decades, Southwest has been at the
forefront of such efficiencies as paperless tickets, quick turnarounds, installation of winglets, and, more recently; the installation of fleet-wide advanced avionics. This focus on efficiency not only makes good business sense, it is the right thing to do.

It seems Southwest is dead set on being the sustainable airline leader with its eco friendly and forward thinking.

Let’s just hope they can keep the prices low as well. And as of this writing, no word on where or when this GREEN plane will debut.

via Reuters.com