In-flight paper cups and napkins go eco-friendly

Yoo Ha-young in charge of flight quality management at Jeju Air received an unexpected call. Yoo has sponsored the JJ Polar Bear Project where Jeju Air pilots join efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Even when a particular promotion period does not open, not a small number of pilots make a voluntary call to engage in the carbon reduction campaign, according to Yoo.

Since initiated by plain captains in 2017, the JJ Polar Bear Project has spread company-wise to preserve the environment. With a growing number of pilots joining the project, other management and employees have grown interested in “green crew.” Jeju Air has carried out various environmental events under the name of the JJ Polar Bear Project since January to make sure all the management and employees become green crew.

A great example is a movement to reduce use of disposables. The airliner decided to use eco-friendly paper cups and napkins used on board in January. It used as many as 8.4 million disposable paper cups on board last year. Eco-friendly paper cups currently used on board are made from un-bleached natural pulp and absent of a chemical that keeps the inner part from getting wet.

“Small but meaningful changes via various services will ensure management and employees as well as flight passengers to have increased awareness of the environment,” says a Jeju Air staff.


Hyoun-Soo Kim kimhs@donga.com