18
April
2023
|
05:46 AM
Europe/Amsterdam

TPA and community partners to showcase their green initiatives in honor of Earth Day

Tampa International Airport is honoring Earth Day 2023 with plans for a first-ever special exhibition this Wednesday featuring community sustainability efforts.

Members of the TPA interior landscaping team will be showing off their Living and Breathing Art display, while more than 20 Airport and community partners, including Alaska Airlines, Frontier, jetBlue, Spirit and United, will also be in the Main Terminal to_DSC3026 highlight what they’re doing to help protect the environment and reduce the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. Other participating partners include the University of South Florida, the Sustany Foundation, Sunken Gardens, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, TECO, Publix, the Tampa Bay Clean Cities Coalition, the City of Tampa Parks & Recreation Department, WellFed, the Florida Botanical Gardens and several others.

TPA’s Sustainability and Resilience Program Director Eric Caplan, who is organizing the event, said he's excited to share news about some of the Airport's latest environmental initiatives and how TPA and the surrounding region is planning big for an even greener future ahead. Earth Day this year falls on this upcoming Saturday, April 22, so this week seemed like the perfect time to put sustainable practices on display.

“We've never done anything like this in conjunction with some of our community partners, and we're hoping this will be both fun and educational for our guests, employees and travelers,” Caplan said. “The Tampa Bay region, as well as the aviation industry, have made a lot of strides in protecting and preserving our natural resources and I think this will be an eye-opening exhibition.”

In 2022, the Airport's new office building, SkyCenter One was certified LEED Platinum, with energy-efficient interior materials and water-efficient plumbing fixtures. The building was constructed with recycled, locally sourced materials and features landscaping with 100% stormwater capture and reclaimed water irrigation.

TPA's recently constructed Central Utility Plant runs off 100% reclaimed water and helps reduce power and water consumption for the Main Terminal.

The Earth Day Exhibition is scheduled for Wednesday, April 19, from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the Main Terminal Event Space on Level 3, between the E and F shuttles. The event is free and open to the public.