Are You Up to the Challenge?
Saving energy reduces our costs, a critical necessity to help us survive the current economic downturn. While the Postal Service’s™ long-term goal is to reduce energy use 30 percent by 2015, employees can take some simple steps now at work that can make a big difference.
And a great first step is taking the challenge.
On April 1, Sustainability announced a “21-day Energy Challenge” designed to promote low-cost or no-cost ways to help reduce energy costs at every postal building — Post Offices™ and mail processing facilities alike.
Working with Facilities, Sustainability is encouraging employees to “work green” and help save on energy costs at their facility.
Employees can take these basic actions:
n Turn off lighting in empty offices and at the end of the work day.
n Keep temperature settings consistent and follow guidelines — 65 degrees in winter, and 78 degrees in summer.
n Close windows and doors, especially dock doors, to ensure heating and cooling systems work effectively.
Are you up to the challenge?
Mandatory Stand-Up Talk
Help the Postal Service save energy.
We’ve been challenged to reduce our energy use.
At every facility — Post Offices and mail processing facilities alike — employees are being asked to take some small steps that can make a big difference in reducing our energy costs.
Turn off lights when they’re not needed.
If you see the lights on in an empty room, flip the switch. If you’re the last one out the door at the end of the day, turn off the lights.
Keep a steady setting on the thermostat.
It should be 65 in winter and 78 in summer. These are the optimal temperatures for energy efficiency. Don’t change the thermostat.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Maintaining a consistent temperature requires closed windows and doors, including dock doors. Too much cold or hot air wastes energy.
We all know that financial times are tough and we need to tighten up where we can. Energy costs are a major expense for the Postal Service — $651 million for utilities in FY 2008.
We can make a positive impact on energy costs on the job. It’s as simple as turning off a light or keeping a dock door closed.
— Sustainability, 4-9-09
