Continental Airlines Plans to Offer Passengers Carbon Offsets

Energy Resource, May 30, 2007

ENERGY RESOURCE-30 May 2007-Continental Airlines Plans to Offer Passengers Carbon Offsets(C)2007 JeraOne - http://www.jeraone.com

Passengers aboard Continental Airline flights will be able to offset their carbon "flying" footprint as part of a new voluntary program announced today by Sustainable Travel International and Continental.

The program will allow travelers to calculate the carbon footprint of their booked itinerary and purchase carbon offsets online from non-profit Sustainable Travel International, which will invest the proceeds in sustainable development projects, including reforestation, renewable energy and energy conservation. Customers also will have the option of selecting which kind of program they would like their carbon offsets to benefit.

The carbon offsetting option will be available on continental.com beginning in late summer 2007.

Sustainable Travel International provides carbon offset projects that are independently verified by third-party sources. The projects must verifiably reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to the CDM Gold Standard, consistent with the principles of the Kyoto Protocol, or have Green-e certification from the Center for Resource Solutions.

Continental, the fifth largest U.S. air carrier, is Sustainable Travel International's first airline partner. The organization also works with the World Wildlife Fund, National Geographic, Whole Foods Market, Ben & Jerry's, the Coca-Cola Company, and numerous other environmentally committed companies. It received the highest ranking in an independent study of carbon offsetting programs commissioned by the environmental group Clean Air-Cool Planet.

"Continental's thorough, substantive approach to the concerns of climate change and longstanding environmental commitment prove that Continental is an industry leader in this field, and we are proud to join with them on this venture," Sustainable Travel International President Brian T. Mullis said. "We look forward to helping Continental customers protect the environment by supporting high impact renewable energy and energy efficiency projects around the world."

"The world's climate is an important issue for Continental and for our customers, and we want to offer a credible, global, high-quality option for offsetting emissions," added Continental Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Larry Kellner. "To complement our existing environmental initiatives, we have carefully reviewed options for carbon offsetting programs and we are proud to offer this option in partnership with Sustainable Travel International, whose international focus and high standards are an excellent fit for Continental and our customers."

In mid-2006, Continental launched an internal review of existing environmental procedures, along with a review of future possibilities, including carbon offset programs.

To date, the airline says it has achieved an almost 35 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption per revenue passenger mile flown over the past 10 years, due in part to an investment of more than $12 billion to acquire 270 fuel-efficient aircraft and related equipment. Continental also has reduced by approximately 75 percent nitrogen oxide emissions from ground equipment at the carrier's largest hub, in Houston, through switching to electric ground service equipment and other new technology. The technology is now being tested for use in cold climates.

In 2007, FORTUNE magazine named Continental as one pf 10 "Green Giants," corporations whose environmental policies go beyond what is required. The carrier has also received recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for environmental efforts.

Sustainable Travel International is a U.S.-based non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable development and eco-friendly travel by providing programs that help travelers and travel-related companies protect the environmental, socio-cultural and economic values of the places they visit, and the planet at large. For more information, visit www.sustainabletravelinternational.org.

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