FollowFlying Cans history – 1990 news clip
For more than 30 years local air carriers have been a part of a legacy – one that often goes unseen and uncelebrated. In honor of National Aviation Day (Aug. 19th) and the more than 70 rural communities who benefit from their donated backhaul services, we thank you.
In 2019, more than 14 tons of aluminum beverage cans were moved out of bush communities by members of the Alaska Air Carriers Association (AACA). They also hauled more than 2,000 bags of plastic beverage bottles. This effort is aptly dubbed “Flying Cans/Flying Bottles.”
The concept was created in the late ‘80s through a joint agreement between ALPAR and AACA. To this day we continue to share a common goal – providing rural communities the opportunity to recycle aluminum cans and plastic beverage bottles, thereby diverting it from the waste stream and instilling habits of litter prevention.
The program pays the market rate for aluminum cans, with the income most often dedicated to rural youth programs managed by tribal entities. While COVID-19 has disrupted every sector of our economy, air carriers have continued to support this program despite reduced routes and mandates varying by jurisdiction. This reliability has provided a much-needed sense of normalcy and revenue for rural communities – a testament to the tenacity and altruism of fellow Alaskans.