The airline, the largest airline to Asia out of LAX, recently had dozens of employees lead'hundreds of children in planting 50 ten-foot trees at and near John H. Liechty Middle School, 650 S. Union Ave,'as part of the Korean flag carrier's worldwide 40th birthday celebration and partnership with Million Trees Los Angeles (MTLA). Through the partnership, more trees will be planted and nurtured in different areas around Los Angeles.
In honor of its fourth decade, the airline is donating $40,000 a year for four years to MTLA, Los Angeles' urban tree planting program. The school was chosen because of need for greenery and shade, and its proximity to Korean Air's Americas headquarters on Wilshire.' Approximately 400 students took part in today's event.
Korean Air is LAX's first international airline to participate in the Mayor's tree planting program and in remarks today, Korean Air's Chairman Y.H. Cho called for other LAX airlines to help 'green up' Los Angeles.
'All of LAX's international airlines are involved with the community in one way or another.' But greening up Los Angeles is critical to the success of this market.' And since so much of all our livelihoods are based upon this region, I'm calling for all LAX airlines to help out with this program,' Chairman Cho challenged.
'For MTLA to be successful, we need to engage public/private partnerships,' said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. 'We are honored that Korean Air has joined our environmental family. Korean Air's ongoing commitment and support of MTLA will help us to ensure a thriving urban forest in Los Angeles.'
MTLA was established by the Mayor in 2006 and actively engages the community, educating and nurturing young environmental leaders to ensure healthy and sustainable urban forests.
Korean Air has planted thousands of trees on the planet, primarily in Asia. It started its tree-planting program five years ago in Mongolia, where the desertification of the forests is causing polluting yellow dust to spread across Asia.' The airline takes new employees to plant trees there as part of its orientation and has planted literally thousands of trees in what is now called the Korean Air Forest. Los Angeles is the second step of the airline's international environmental outreach and the first outside Asia.
'Los Angeles always has been a vital market for Korean Air,' Chairman Cho said. 'The Korean community here is the largest in the world outside of Seoul, and Korean Air has enjoyed a significant place in that growth.' We feel it's our civic duty to help sustain Los Angeles' environment.'
