The US Postal Service has carried out a voluntary inventory of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissionsand reiterated its reduction targets.
USPS has stated goals to reduce energy use 30% by 2015, reduce petroleum fuel use 20% by2015, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020. Achieving electric and fuel reduction goalswill be included in pay-for-performance goals for postal managers.
The new study establishes the baseline for future, annual evaluations to help determine ifthe Postal Service is meeting its stated GHG reduction goals. Although the agency is exempt fromthe recent Executive Order establishing energy guidelines, USPS voluntarily determined itsgreenhouse gas emissions and is the only federal agency to publicly report them.
The greenhouse gas report studied emissions from Postal Service facility and vehicleoperations in 50 states and five US territories. The Postal Service also went above the standardrequirements for reporting GHG emissions to include emissions from contract air, highway, rail andship transportation. Because of the size of the Postal Service and the time it takes to do athorough analysis of emissions, 2007 was used because it provided the most complete and up-to-datedata.
The Postal Service’s direct GHG emissions total 5.3 million tonnes. Contracted transportationrepresents the source of 52% of these carbon emissions and emissions from facilities represent 36%.Given that the Postal Service has 43,000 alternative-capable fuels delivering mail across thecountry, only 12% of the carbon footprint is attributed to vehicles.
“At the Postal Service, we have a comprehensive approach to sustainable business practices,from the way we sort mail, to the way we deliver it, to the green packaging we provide customers.We recycle more than a quarter million tons of paper and plastic annually and operate the world’slargest civilian fleet of alternative fuel-capable vehicles,” said Sam Pulcrano, vice president,Sustainability. “And we are working to create a culture of conservation among our employees.”
Ryerson, Master and Associates Inc. conducted the greenhouse gas study, the results of whichwere independently verified by Det Norske Veritas using internationally recognized, world-classstandards. The study was independently certified by The Climate Registry (TCR), a known leader ingreenhouse gas emissions reporting and reduction.
