Press Release

Issued by 4Air.

April 14, 2021

4AIR, the first and only rating system focused on comprehensive sustainability in private aviation, today announced #FORTHEAIR, an aerial photograph appreciation contest to celebrate Earth Day (April 22). Contestants can submit photographs they have taken personally from the air on Instagram or via email. The contestant submitting the best picture will have the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from his or her personal air travel offset for an entire year, helping them do their part in protecting the climate.

The contest is open for submissions and will close on April 30, 2021. All are welcome to participate for a chance to offset their air travel-generated emissions for one year whether they travel as a passenger or crew on commercial, private or personal-use aircraft.

“4AIR has established a new standard for sustainability in private aviation, helping those who own or fly on private aircraft to voluntarily address the environmental impacts of their flights,” said Kennedy Ricci, 4AIR's president. “Our #FORTHEAIR contest is intended to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our climate by offsetting or reducing emissions from aviation. Flying provides a truly unique perspective for seeing the Earth, and it does it in a way that enhances our appreciation for what we're trying to protect.”

4AIR helps owners, operators or users of private jets to offset or reduce their emissions of CO2 and other climate-related pollutants such as water vapour, contrails or soot. Its 4AIR Bronze baseline level will enable the #FORTHEAIR winner's air travel to be carbon neutral for one year by offsetting all CO2 emissions with carbon credits. The credits, purchased and retired by 4AIR in the winner's name, will fund real-world projects that reduce carbon emissions, such as renewable energy facilities or the protection of carbon-absorbing forests.

The runner-up will have a $250 contribution made in his or her name to the Aviation Climate Fund, a research initiative fund aimed at supporting university research and development in aviation sustainability. In addition, a $250 donation will be made to a 501(c)3 organization of the runner-up's choice that is actively involved in charity through aviation.

The 4AIR Rating, the first and only rating system focused on comprehensive sustainability in private aviation, offers understandable benchmarks that are aligned with industrywide goals and consistent with international standards. This allows private aviation users to evaluate the comprehensiveness of their own sustainability programme or that of the private aviation sustainability programmes available on the market.

If a private aviation entity or user does not have a sustainability programme or would like to enhance their current efforts, they can opt into a 4AIR level. From there, 4AIR aligns flight activity with the necessary carbon offsets, sustainable aviation fuel purchases/credits or impact investments called for as part of each level.