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The Postal Service Is Greener Than You Think

We deliver for you – and future generations, too

U.S. Postal Service Sustainability

Despite COVID-19 challenges, Postal Service employees are continuing to accept, process and deliver mail because they know that our customers count on us to deliver!

Customers can also count on the Postal Service to be more focused than ever on what we can do to protect our environment and the communities we serve. Our commitment to sustainability establishes a healthier future for our employees, our customers and our planet.

Letter Carriers

Did you know we have more than 7,000 walking routes? Mail on a walking route is delivered entirely on foot — no vehicle required. We also have routes that use alternative modes of transportation, including bicycles and mules. That’s clean energy!

Post Offices

Did you know that many Post Office facilities have been updated with LED lighting? LED bulbs used in homes and businesses have a long lifespan, lower energy consumption and reduced maintenance costs. Our 2018 energy reduction in our buildings equated to powering more than 5,000 U.S. homes, and we are expanding our solar-powered facilities in 2020.

Many of our Post Office locations have recycling containers to offer customers the option to “Read, Respond and Recycle.” Read your mail. Keep what you want. Recycle the rest.

We help our customers reduce waste, increase recycling and measure and manage carbon impacts through our USPS BlueEarth programs.

Products

Nothing is better than receiving a handwritten letter or personal note. Did you know that the online Postal Store offers a variety of cards, note cards, thank you notes and stamped envelopes in addition to the latest stamps? While browsing the Postal Store you’ll note that our free Priority Mail boxes meet Sustainable Forestry Initiative ® or Forest Stewardship Council ® certification standards. This means the paper for our boxes comes from well-managed forests. In addition, our boxes include at least 30 percent recycled content.

Earth Day stamps are a beautiful way to literally put your stamp on a commitment for a greener tomorrow! This creative stamp celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. It features a playful painting of the planet, with small green lines and hand-lettered text surrounding Earth.

The Postal Service is committed to doing more for our environment every day to ensure a more sustainable future for the communities we serve.

To learn more about how we are putting our stamp on a greener tomorrow, visit USPS.com/green.


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