Indy Airport Earth-Friendly Initiatives Earn Global, National Recognition
Recognized for its Earth-friendly business practices, community partnerships
INDIANAPOLIS (April 20, 2017) – The Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is getting a jump on Earth Day and adding yet another sustainability good deed to its list of green-and-clean initiatives.
The Indy airport will pass out nearly 1,000 Earth-friendly reusable water bottles to passengers and visitors on Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The water bottles can be filled using the two new fill stations the airport installed last fall in concourses A and B.
“These fill stations are in response to passenger requests,” said Mario Rodriguez, executive director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority. “When they were first installed, passengers filled more than 2,000 water bottles in just five days.”
Rodriguez says the fill stations help to promote reuse and reduce plastic bottle waste. To date, the Indy airport is closing in on 100,000 bottles being filled using the stations.
IAA Senior Director of Operations and Public Safety Mike Medvescek says TSA restrictions limit liquids passing through security to no more than three ounces. “But with the fill stations, passengers can bring an empty reusable water bottle and fill up in either concourse A or B once they exit the security check,” Medvescek explained.
The fill stations are located in Concourse A across the Hoosier store, and in Concourse B across from Wolfgang Puck.
IAA Recognized for its Earth-Friendly Business Practices, Community Partnerships
Friday’s event represents only a tiny fraction of the effort and investment the IAA makes in practicing environmental sustainability. In addition to the Indy airport being the first airport in the country to earn LEED certification for an entire airport terminal campus, the IAA also was awarded a federal grant for $2.6 million in 2016 that will establish the largest airport electric-shuttle fleet in the United States. The shuttle fleet will launch this summer.
The IAA’s sustainability commitment has also extended beyond the terminal, and touches the local community. Just recently the IND Solar Farm, which generates enough energy to power more than 3,500 average American homes per year, was noted as a significant contribution to Indianapolis being named in the Shining Cities Report from Environment America for its solar installations. The IND Solar Farm also was awarded the 2015 Indianapolis Sustainability Award from SustainIndy.
The IND Community Bee Apiary, which works in partnership with the White Lick Beekeepers Association, earned the 2017 Airports Council International-North America’s Environmental Achievement Award for Outreach, Education and Community Involvement.
“North American airports recognize that continued sustainability leads to economic vitality and operational efficiency while minimizing their environmental footprint,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “The 2017 ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Award winners including Indianapolis International Airport are industry leaders when it comes to protecting the environment while serving their passengers and communities.”
The IAA also has contributed more than 210 acres to form the Sodalis Nature Park in Hendricks County. The park is a protected home to the endangered Indiana bat.
The IAA also has formally committed to reducing its carbon footprint via the Airport Carbon Accreditation program.