Airline pledges $1 for Every Guest and Toasts In-Flight 'Do-Gooders' with Free Eco-Friendly Cocktails
SAN FRANCISCO, April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the California-based airline, is donating $1 for every guest flying this Earth Day to support environmental restoration projects at California State Parks. In addition, guests flying on Virgin America today who use the Red(TM) seatback touch-screen to make a donation to California State Parks Foundation or offset the carbon emissions of their flight (via Carbonfund.org) will be offered a complimentary cocktail to toast Mother Earth. The award-winning airline and VeeV, the World's First Acai Spirit(TM), are offering in-flight do-gooders a free, custom-made eco-friendly 'Treetini' - featuring VeeV, ginger ale and fresh lime served on the rocks.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)
"As the only airline headquartered in California, we're pleased to continue our partnership with California State Parks Foundation and to bring together our teammates, our guests and the community to help protect and restore some of our most precious natural resources - especially those in underserved communities in our own backyard," said Frances Fiorillo, Senior Vice President of People, In-flight and Guest Services at Virgin America. "We're also proud to toast our forward-thinking guests who choose to support environmental restoration and energy conservation projects across the state."
In addition to the Earth Day flights, Virgin America teammates will also lend a hand at California State Parks Foundation work projects on Saturday, April 25 - including efforts at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area that will expand and improve the park's community garden and shoreline. Candlestick Point State Recreation Area is the state's first "urban" park and includes a community garden, open wildlife areas and other public spaces that support a better way of life in this underserved Bay Area neighborhood.
"We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Virgin America for the second consecutive year," said Elizabeth Goldstein, President of California State Parks Foundation. "Their contributions of time and financial resources will help us continue our mission to restore and preserve the state's historic and natural treasures. And the VeeV Treetini program is a pretty fun addition this Earth Day."
For every Treetini served, VeeV will also plant a tree in flood-ravaged Tamil Nadu, India.
"As another California-based company, this partnership is a perfect fit for VeeV," said Carter Reum, Managing Partner of VeeV. "We strive to raise awareness and support for the environment while running a carbon-neutral, sustainable and eco-friendly company," continued Reum.
Launched in August 2007, Virgin America has made environmentally sustainable practices part of its operations from day one. The carrier operates a new Airbus A320-family fleet that is up to 25% more CO2 efficient than other domestic fleets and employs progressive practices to reduce its footprint. In October 2008, it became the first commercial passenger airline to join EPA's Climate Leaders program. In January 2009, it became the first airline in the U.S. to allow guests to offset their emissions during their flight - via Carbonfund.org and the airline's touch-screen in-flight entertainment system, Red(TM). The airline offsets the equivalent of its headquarters carbon footprint on an annual basis to support Carbonfund.org verified offset projects in California. Earlier this week, the airline became the first U.S. airline to become a Member of The Climate Registry.
Virgin America offers daily flights from: SFO to LAX, SFO to JFK, SFO to SAN, SFO to IAD, SFO to LAS, LAX to JFK, LAX to IAD, SFO to SEA, SEA to LAX, JFK to LAS, BOS to LAX, BOS to SFO, and starting on April 29 - SFO to SNA.
EDITORS NOTE: Virgin America is a U.S. controlled and operated airline and an entirely separate company from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin America.
About VeeV Acai Spirit: VeeV founders Courtney and Carter Reum, former investment bankers, left Wall Street in the summer of 2006 to start a venture that was equal parts entrepreneurial, progressive and meaningful. In that spirit, the Reum brothers created VeeV, the world's first spirit to introduce the Brazilian super-fruit, acai. Among being the country's foremost and only certified carbon neutral spirit, VeeV's eco-friendly business activities include donating $1 of every bottle sold to the Sustainable Acai Project, utilizing a distillery that is powered by wind energy, and implementing regular "VeeV Green Audits". Additionally, VeeV is a proud member of the Business for Social Responsibility, the Social Venture Network and other leading environmental organizations. VeeV - A Better Way to Drink(TM).
About California State Parks Foundation: With 100,000 members, the California State Parks Foundation is the only independent nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting, enhancing and advocating for California's magnificent state parks. This year marks the organization's 40th Anniversary. For more information about California's state parks, visit www.calparks.org.
About Carbonfund.org: Carbonfund.org is the leading nonprofit carbon offset and climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact. Carbon offsets enable individuals and businesses to reduce carbon dioxide emissions they are responsible for in their everyday lives by supporting third-party verified renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects where they are most cost effective. Carbonfund.org has over 400,000 individual supporters and works with over 1,000 business and nonprofit partners including Discovery, Motorola, Amtrak, Volkswagen, Dell, JetBlue, Orbitz and Staples. Visit http://www.carbonfund.org.
About Virgin America: Launched in Aug. 2007, Virgin America offers attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel, including power outlets and the Red(TM) interactive in-flight entertainment system which offers the first touch-screen in-flight food menu, 25 on-demand films, seat-to-seat chat, videogames, live TV and more. Already launched on over half its fleet, by June 2009 the carrier will be the first U.S. airline to offer in-flight internet on every flight. In 2008, the airline was named "Best Domestic Airline in Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards. The airline is proud to be affiliated with the Virgin Group, which has committed to reinvesting profits from Virgin-transport related businesses to renewable fuels research and other initiatives that combat climate change. The airline serves San Francisco, LA, New York, Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Boston and on April 29 - Orange County. For more: www.virginamerica.com
