Since establishing environmental goals for internal operations four years ago, The Boeing Co. has reduced its environmental footprint while rapidly expanding its business and significantly increasing monthly airplane production rates, the company says in its fifth annual Environment Report.

In 2007, Boeing established internal five-year environmental goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, hazardous-waste generation, and water intake by 1 percent on an absolute basis.

"Since then, Boeing brought two new airplanes to market, increased monthly production of jetliners by more than 25 percent, added well over 1 million square feet of additional manufacturing facilities, and created 12,000 new jobs," says Kim Smith, the company's vice president of environment, health and safety. "During this time, Boeing steadily reduced its environmental footprint."

Boeing says it has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 3 percent, energy use by 1 percent, hazardous waste by 17 percent, and water intake by 9 percent since 2007.

In addition, the report focuses on actions Boeing is taking to improve the environmental performance of its products.