CORRALES, N.M. — Add Corrales, N.M., to the list of U.S. Postal Service recycling offices. More than 200,000 tons, and counting. That’s how much paper, plastics and other waste the U.S. Postal Service recycled in 2009, representing a decrease in its greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 1.67 million barrels of oil.
An integral part of that undertaking is the Post Office Box Lobby Recycling program which is expanding to include an additional 2,435 Post Offices, including those in a number of U.S. national parks. That brings the total number of participating sites to more than 8,064, an increase of 150 percent from 2005, when the Post Office Lobby recycling effort started. This program is based on the success of similar mail recycling programs in the northeastern part of the United States, which began more than 10 years ago.
Postal customers are being encouraged to “read, respond, recycle” their P.O. Box mail when visiting the Corrales Post Office lobby as a convenient and environmentally responsible alternative to taking it home to discard.
“Lobby recycling helps divert paper waste from landfills, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from solid waste disposal,” said Cecilia Padilla Postmaster of Corrales, N.M., Post Office. “In 2009, the Postal Service sold raw materials from recyclables, diverting them from landfills, making us greener and producing a positive impact on our bottom line.”
Secure recycling bins in Post Office lobbies are locked and the opening is slim –– about the width of a magazine, so the mail, and customer privacy, are ensured. P.O. Box customers are encouraged to open their mail (read), take whatever action is necessary (respond) and place the rest of it in the bin (recycle). A complete list of participating “Read, Respond, Recycle” Post Offices can be found at usps.com/green on the recycle page by clicking on Earth911.com. Type the word “mail” in the search engine for a list by ZIP Code.
Corrales Post Office was the first New Mexico “green” post office. Furthermore, Corrales is the only post office in the country to use straw bale insulation inside its walls. A small window in a lobby wall allows customers to see a portion of the straw bales used to keep the building’s interior warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Other features of the 8,370-square-foot building include reflective concrete pavers used in the 66 space parking lot that reflect sunlight, reducing absorption that contributes to global warming. Rainwater is recycled to irrigate the building’s landscaping, and energy-saving lighting and recycled materials were used throughout the construction.
“Please join us in our recycling efforts as we take a new approach to incorporating more environmentally sustainable practices at the Corrales Post Office,” said Padilla.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 26th in the 2008 Fortune 500.
