JetBlue says it will become carbon neutral by July

Jan. 6 (UPI) -- JetBlue Airways will become the first large U.S. airline to commit to offsetting its emissions from all of its domestic flights with plans to become carbon neutral by July.

The company follows in the footsteps of British discount airlines EasyJet, which announced in November that it would become carbon neutral as well.

JetBlue said it would not increase fares in its effort to offset its carbon footprint but declined to say how much it will cost. Airlines account for some 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

"Air travel connects people and cultures and supports a global economy, yet we must act to limit this critical industry's contributions to climate change," Robin Hayes, the chief executive officer of JetBlue, said in a statement.

"We reduce where we can and offset where we can't. By offsetting all of our domestic flying, we're preparing our business for the lower-carbon economy that aviation -- and all sectors -- must plan for," Hayes continued.

The airline will invest in projects that protect forests from destruction; develop solar and wind farms instead of coal, diesel or furnace oil to generate power; and capture landfill production of methane, which can be converted into a renewable energy source, JetBlue said. Those efforts will allow it to earn carbon credits.

"The airline industry is one of the few industries that has collectively committed to an international emissions reduction goal," Hayes said. "Air travel brings so much good to the world and JetBlue has always been about making our essential industry better.

"Carbon offsetting is a bridge to, not a silver bullet for, a lower carbon future. Reducing and mitigating our greenhouse gas emissions is a fundamental aspect of our business plan and our mission to inspire humanity," Hayes continued.

JetBlue will work with sustainability consultants EcoAct and South Pole along with the Carbonfund.org Foundation.