Postal Service greening saving millions

Budget

Postal Service greening saving millions

The Postal Service\'s sustainability measures are cutting energy usage across the board, and resulting in lower costs.

Federal News Network Staff

January 26, 2011 1:05 pm

1 min read

By John Buckner
Federal News Radio

The Postal Service has saved more than $27 million in 2010 with the help of its “Lean Green Teams.”

USPS focused on several areas including reducing facilities use of energy, water, solid waste to landfills and petroleum.

The Postal Service stated in a release that it recycled more than 222,000 tons of material last year alone, which saved $9.1 million in landfill fees.

With around 32,000 facilities nationwide, USPS has set goals to reduce more waste by 2015. Those goals include reducing “facility energy use by 30 percent, water use by 10 percent, petroleum fuel use by 20 percent and landfill waste by 50 percent.”

“The Postal Service is on track to achieve these goals and plans to deploy Lean Green Teams nationwide by 2012,” said Emil Dzuray, USPS Chief Sustainability Officer.

USPS also is working on a plan to convert part of its mail truck fleet to all-electric vehicles.

The Postal Service also has one of the largest green roofs in the nation.

All of this in response to President Barack Obama’s 2009 signing of an executive order requiring federal leadership in environmental, energy and economic performance.

The Postal Service has had sustainability measures in place for 12 years, leading to more than 75 different environmental awards.

John Buckner is an intern with Federal News Radio.