STM Blog
LAWA’s Sustainability Progress: Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2045
LAWA’s latest annual report showcases sustainable progress towards carbon neutrality by 2045.
Last Updated on July 5, 2024 by Daily News Staff
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has released its 2022 Sustainability Report, showcasing its ongoing commitment to sustainability and its progress towards achieving ambitious environmental goals. With a focus on transparency and accountability, LAWA’s report highlights the success of various initiatives that have generated sustainable and economic benefits for the airports and their surrounding communities. Spearheaded by the leadership of Mayor Bass and supported by partnerships with local agencies, organizations, and business partners, LAWA is determined to be a frontrunner in sustainable aviation, ultimately achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
Building a Sustainable Future:
LAWA’s sustainability journey began in 2007 with the establishment of its Sustainability Vision and Principles. These values were further reinforced in 2017 with the adoption of the Sustainable Design and Construction Policy, which mandated LEED Silver or higher certification for new building construction. Additionally, in 2019, LAWA launched its Sustainability Action Plan, aligning with the City of Los Angeles’s objectives. The plan aims to achieve net zero in key areas by 2045, including 100% renewable electricity use, zero potable water for non-potable uses, and carbon neutrality for LAWA operations.
Notable Achievements in 2022:
The 2022 Sustainability Report highlights several key accomplishments that demonstrate LAWA’s commitment to sustainability and progress towards its goals. Some noteworthy achievements include:
- Early achievement of the 2025 goal of a 15% reduction in energy use per passenger.
- Increased usage of Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
- Meeting the 2023 goal of a 20% zero-emissions bus fleet.
- Achieving the 2025 goal of 25% waste diversion.
- Introducing unleaded aviation fuel for general aviation aircraft at Van Nuys Airport (VNY).
- Incorporating fully recyclable aluminum shells in the train cars for the Automated People Mover (APM).
- Updating the Electric Vehicle (EV) Purchasing Policy to require a 25% EV sedan fleet by 2023 and 100% by December 2031.
- Obtaining Envision Gold certification for the APM.
- Launching the LAX Residential Sound Insulation Program (RSIP) to provide sound insulation for nearby communities.
- Expanding the use of reclaimed water for irrigation to 66.8% of all landscaped areas at LAX.
- Receiving awards for the innovative and sustainable design of LAX’s Economy Parking Facility.
- Hosting and sponsoring 65 community and employee engagement events.
Focus Areas and Partnerships:
While LAWA’s sustainability program encompasses various aspects, the report emphasizes specific topics of importance to LAWA, partner organizations, and stakeholders. These areas include energy management, water management, air emissions reduction, material resources management, noise management, natural resources conservation, and corporate responsibility. By addressing these issues proactively, LAWA aims to ensure a well-rounded approach to sustainability that benefits the environment, the community, and the airport’s operations.
LAWA’s 2022 Sustainability Report signifies its unwavering commitment to sustainability and showcases the remarkable progress made towards achieving its long-term environmental goals. With a focus on accountability, transparency, and collaboration with partners, LAWA is leading the way in sustainable aviation practices. By exceeding milestones and consistently meeting targets, LAWA is well on track to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. As the organization continues to prioritize sustainable practices, it sets an example for the aviation industry and demonstrates the potential for large-scale environmental transformation
For more information about LAX, its transformation and its environmental, social and local workforce commitments, please visit flylax.com. Follow LAX on X (formally Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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Feeding America is marking National Agriculture Day by recognizing farmers, ranchers, and producers as key partners in the fight against hunger.
In a March 24 press release, the organization said the agricultural community plays a vital role in helping food banks and pantries deliver fresh, nutritious food to families across the country. Feeding America noted that produce, dairy, and protein are among the most requested foods by neighbors facing hunger and make up half of all food distributed through its network.
The organization said that in 2025, its network worked with growers to rescue 971 million pounds of fresh produce, helping redirect surplus food to communities in need. Feeding America also pointed to federal nutrition and farm support programs, saying government purchases from U.S. growers provide more than 20% of the food distributed through its network.
Ami McReynolds, Feeding America’s chief advocacy and community partnerships officer, said supporting farmers is directly connected to helping families access healthy meals. The organization is also urging Congress to support additional farm aid and a Farm Bill that strengthens nutrition programs.
Feeding America said a recent poll found that 95% of voters view hunger as a nonpartisan issue, reinforcing support for collaborative solutions between agriculture, food banks, and policymakers.
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The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.
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Community
McDonald’s First Job Confessional Turns Career Stories Into Free Meal Opportunity
McDonald’s is launching First Job Confessional, a campaign inviting fans to share first job stories for a chance to receive a $15 gift card in select cities.
First Job Confessional
McDonald’s is putting first jobs in the spotlight with a new campaign that asks fans to share the real-world skills they gained early in their working lives. Launched on National Employee Appreciation Day, the brand’s First Job Confessional invites people to reflect on how those first roles helped shape their careers — and, in some cases, earn a free meal in the process.
The campaign is built around a simple idea: first jobs often teach lasting skills that deserve more recognition. Whether someone learned problem-solving while babysitting, communication during a lunch rush, or teamwork behind a counter, McDonald’s is framing those experiences as valuable career foundations. The company says those are the same kinds of skills employers continue to prioritize as workplace demands evolve.
How the First Job Confessional Works
In select cities, McDonald’s is setting up confessional booths designed to look like ordering kiosks. But instead of placing a meal order, participants can record a story about their first job and the skills they picked up along the way. Those who take part in person will have the opportunity to receive a $15 McDonald’s gift card, while supplies last.
Fans who cannot attend in person can still join online by posting their stories using #FirstJobConfessional. McDonald’s says selected videos may also be featured on its YouTube channel, extending the campaign beyond the live events.
External Related Links
- McDonald’s corporate article: McDonald’s is Asking Fans to Get Real About Their First Job Skills in Exchange for Free Meals
- McDonald’s 1 in 8: First Job Confessional
- McDonald’s 1 in 8 home page
- Marketing Dive coverage of the campaign
- Parade coverage of the First Job Confessional tour
Source Links
- Original PRNewswire press release from McDonald’s USA, LLC
- McDonald’s official corporate story
- McDonald’s 1 in 8 First Job Confessional page
- McDonald’s 1 in 8 official website
The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.
https://stmdailynews.com/the-bridge
The Knowledge
Why Phoenix’s Skyline Has Stayed Low — And How It Compares to Los Angeles
Discover why Phoenix’s skyline lacks supertall skyscrapers, from FAA flight path limits near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to how it compares with Los Angeles’s skyline growth.
Last Updated on March 25, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the United States, yet its skyline doesn’t resemble other major metros like Los Angeles, Chicago, or Dallas. Despite rapid population and economic growth, downtown Phoenix has long lacked supertall skyscrapers — and until recently, didn’t even have a building tall enough to qualify as a true “skyscraper” under standard definitions.
The Basics: Phoenix’s Height Reality
The tallest structure in Phoenix for decades has been Chase Tower, rising to about 483 feet. Under the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat definition, a skyscraper reaches at least 492 feet — which means Phoenix has technically lacked one — despite its size and population.
A new project, the Astra Tower, is planned to rise around 540+ feet when it breaks ground, potentially giving Phoenix its first true skyscraper.
Airport Proximity: The FAA’s Height Grid
FAA Obstacle Evaluation & Downtown Limits
Phoenix’s skyline constraints are rooted in aviation safety.
📍 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport sits just a few miles from downtown.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates building heights near airports so they don’t obstruct flight paths, require planes to alter approaches, or interfere with climb-out safety.
- In Phoenix, this results in a layered set of height limits that vary by location and elevation above sea level — often measured in feet above mean sea level (MSL) rather than simply building height from ground.
The city’s zoning code divides downtown into multiple contour zones with distinct maximum elevation values (e.g., 1,275 ft, 1,525 ft, 1,700 ft MSL), each tied to how close it sits under airport flight paths.
That means in some blocks you can’t build above a specific elevation even if ground levels are lower — a regulatory “roof” that varies across downtown.
City zoning also explicitly states that no building can exceed the FAA’s airport height limits, even if other bonuses or zoning allowances exist.
Phoenix vs. Los Angeles: A Quick Comparison
Los Angeles: Higher Limits, Different Constraints
Cities like Los Angeles also have nearby airports (e.g., Los Angeles International Airport), but their key business districts aren’t directly under major flight corridors.
LA’s downtown has:
- Taller office and residential towers
- A financial core with dense development
- Fewer FAA-driven overlays because the flight paths stretch past the downtown edge
Los Angeles’s tallest buildings — including Wilshire Grand Center (~1,100 ft) and U.S. Bank Tower (~1,018 ft) — were built where FAA restrictions don’t force low ceilings. FAA evaluations were conducted but didn’t cut as deeply into downtown zoning compared to Phoenix.
Phoenix, by contrast, sits right under approach and departure corridors — leading to consistent FAA involvement in almost every proposed mid- or high-rise downtown.
Economic and Planning Philosophies
Beyond FAA rules:
- Phoenix developed in the automobile era, with vast inexpensive land encouraging horizontal growth.
- Los Angeles grew earlier with heavier investment in centralized neighborhoods and higher density.
- Phoenix’s village plan long encouraged multiple smaller hubs instead of concentrating all growth in one downtown core.
These historical differences mean Phoenix didn’t have the same economic “pressure” to build up — even with zoning that allows significant height if FAA permits are met.
What This Means for Phoenix’s Future
Phoenix still has room to grow vertically — but:
- FAA height contours will remain the ceiling unless flight paths change
- Developers must secure determinations of no hazard from the FAA before going taller
- New projects like Astra show demand for taller buildings is rising
As Phoenix’s urban core densifies and land becomes scarcer, its skyline may yet reach higher — but always within the invisible grid drawn by aviation safety.
Related External Links
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Official Website
- FAA Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA)
- City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department
- Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)
- Los Angeles World Airports (LAX Authority)
- Phoenix Skyscraper Database & Diagrams
- Los Angeles Skyscraper Database & Diagrams
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