There is a profound message at the core of our Delivering for America plan: that creating a more efficient and financially secure U.S. Postal Service that delivers value to our customers is wholly compatible with our role as a leader in environmental sustainability.
As we begin the fifth year of our transformative mission to modernize USPS, we have already removed many of the redundancies and duplications that hindered our legacy mail and package delivery network, and we are operating a transportation system designed from the ground up to optimize the movement of mail and packages across the country. We’ve invested in staff training, automated processing equipment, new processing and storage capacity, and a much-needed fleet of delivery trucks built to maximize service performance is now being deployed across the nation.
These efficiencies and the many others introduced under Delivering for America are driven by the need to make our operations more reliable, cost-effective and profitable. But they are also inherently beneficial for the environment, allowing us to make huge gains in our efforts to slash emissions, minimize waste and increase recycling.
The reduced costs and new revenue opportunities that result from our strategic approach to environmental sustainability will only grow in value as we continue our journey to make the Postal Service America’s preferred shipper.
Our approach to environmental sustainability is guided by a comprehensive strategy unveiled early last year that is built on the principles of climate action, the circular economy and environmental awareness. This approach combines proven environmental methodologies with the operational updates under Delivering for America to set ambitious but achievable sustainability goals for 2030.
We hit the ground running and are already making great progress in meeting or exceeding our targets. I couldn’t be prouder of what my team and colleagues throughout USPS are achieving.
Our environmental efforts result in both operational and financial efficiencies. Our National Recycling Operation is a prime example. Here, we are maximizing the utility of a revamped ground transportation strategy by backhauling large-volume recyclable materials to centralized recycling hubs, where they are sorted and repackaged as a commodity.
Our recycling operation diverts paper, cardboard, plastic and other waste from landfills — some 66 percent in fiscal 2024 alone — while significantly reducing trash disposal costs. We’ve turned the unmanaged cost of trash removal into a recycling revenue-generation opportunity. That’s a huge win for both the environment and our financial bottom line!
Our prudent environmental stewardship also reduces costs. Our Utility Management System (UMS), which captures the cost and use data for utilities at more than 90 percent of our building footprint, allows us to manage energy consumption, prioritize energy infrastructure investments and improve pricing for utility contracts, all while targeting emission reductions. Additionally, the UMS has evolved into an early warning system, alerting us to irregular increases in utility cost and usage that typically flag critically needed repairs like broken underground water pipes.
The business benefits of our environmental management programs are nuanced and multifaceted. Our comprehensive regulatory compliance program ensures the integrity of our brand while mitigating potentially costly fines. And customer-focused initiatives like sustainable packaging and our USPS BlueEarth® suite of services, which help our partners reach their own environmental goals, also strengthen the bonds we have with our customers, building the long-term relationships essential to reaching the full potential of our Delivering for America vision.
These improvements and our broader environmental strategy mean cleaner air for the communities we serve, a better working environment for our employees and a significant reduction in our carbon footprint, all while supporting a business model that makes us more reliable, precise and financially secure. That’s a win for everyone and certainly worth recognizing this Earth Day. The United States Postal Service is working hard to deliver a greener tomorrow for you.
Jennifer Beiro-Réveillé
Senior Director, Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability
