Sustainability

The Postal Service is a strong advocate of sustainable best practices and has long been recognized as an environmental innovator. With over 30,000 facilities and the nation’s largest civilian vehicle fleet, postal sustainability efforts have a large impact on the environment. The Postal Service has received more than 75 major environmental awards, including 40 White House Closing the Circle Awards and a Climate Action Champion award from the California Climate Action Registry for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In its 2009 Sustainability Report, published in June, the Postal Service described its continuing efforts to integrate sustainability into daily business practices. The report shows that in 2009 it cut energy use 9 percent, increased alternative fuel use 26 percent, reduced solid waste by 7 percent, and increased recycled or reused electronics by 73 percent. The Postal Service’s annual and sustainability performance reports are available at usps.com/green.