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Recycling in the Friendly Skies
Have you ever considered what happens to all the plastic cups and soda cans you give the flight attendant during your flight? If you guessed a garbage dump, you would be correct.
The question is why? You would think it’d be easy for airlines to collect cans, plastic cups and paper products for easy recycling but it seems airlines aren’t putting forth enough effort in being “green.”
A nonprofit environmental group called Green America recently released a report called “The Sorry State of Recycling in the Airline Industry,” which provides statistics on recycling efforts made by airlines. One startling statistic from the reports states that of the 1.3 pounds of trash left behind by a passenger, only 20% is recycled. However, nearly a pound of the trash left behind is recyclable, meaning airlines are not doing enough to forge a cleaner existence.
While airlines seem to be lagging in setting up sufficient recycling programs, Green America asks passengers to ensure their recyclable waste isn’t being tossed in the trash. Green America “suggests concerned passengers can take action by asking flight attendants whether any items are recycled; removing their own cans, plastic bottles and newspapers from the plane and recycling them at the airport; and writing to the airlines to urge them to do more.”
What is your take on this? How assertive/aggressive should airlines be in recycling waste product from their passengers? What are some of the inhibitors to setting up an inclusive policy?
UPS mails luggage—not for late planners though
Imagine arriving at the airport with nothing but your purse or a small carry-on bag with you. No need to worry about whether your luggage is over the weight limit, or having to drag an overstuffed carry-on through the airport as you wait for your flight.
Then, when you land, think about not needing to pull a bag out of the overhead bins or waiting around the baggage claim for your bag to come flying onto the conveyer belt.
This could be possible through a new alternative offered by UPS. Capitalizing on frustration related to the baggage fees charged by most of the major airlines, UPS is now selling luggage boxes (in various sizes) that allow travelers to mail their travel belongings ahead of time to their destination, without all the hassles of dragging their luggage around.
Considering airlines have made $769 million in baggage fees during the first three months of 2010, it’s no wonder UPS is trying to jump into the action.
For those who plan ahead, this is a perfect alternative to dealing with extra fees charged by airlines. And as an added bonus, UPS would provide tracking numbers and email alerts as to the status of the shipped luggage.
Would you consider the alternative to shipping your luggage to a destination instead of paying for checked baggage?
The “New Normal” consumer is speaking out
Further evidence that the “Great Recession” has had a significant effect on consumer behavior:
– In a recent Mintel consumer study, a substantial 76% of respondents state that they are “smarter shoppers” than they were a year ago.
– Almost seven in ten say they are trying to buy only necessary items, such as food (and that last number includes about half of those households earning more than $100k annually).
But price is not the only consideration. Only half of the consumers in the survey say that low price is more important than good customer service, while seven in ten say they only buy brands they trust.
What does this mean? It means that the definition of “smart shopper” is not just about price, it is more and more about value. And the concept of value has been extended to include trust in the brand, as well as good customer service.
These numbers look very much the same as they did a year and even two years ago, when the recession was just beginning to alter consumer behavior. This means that consumers are settling into a “less is more” mindset, while expecting more from their brand and shopping experiences.
Anyone in Financial Services (along with other industries) who is not conducting branding studies and consumer experience research should probably take note.