The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced a new set of targets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste at every level of the organization’s operations by 2030.
The new sustainability targets are centered around three core areas: climate action, the circular economy and environmental awareness.
USPS will reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the organization by moving freight from air to ground transportation, optimizing delivery routes for trucks and carriers, and procuring reduced-emission and zero-emission vehicles.
By fiscal year 2030, USPS seeks to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 20%.
USPS is also focused on strengthening the circular economy by diverting waste from landfills and through the sustainable acquisition of materials. The postal operator will also increase its procurement of on-site renewable energy and renewable energy certificates.
It aims to divert 75% of waste from landfills, increase the recycled content of packaging to 74%, increase package recyclability to 88% and increase renewable energy use to 10% by 2030.
The postal operator will continue to educate its 640,000 employees, local communities and federal, state and local partners on its progress, ensuring environmental policy requirements are communicated and incorporated into operations. It will also provide on-site and online training and tools that align with policy and regulatory requirements to 100% of relevant USPS employees.
“The improvements we need to achieve in sustainability are an integral outgrowth of the broader modernization efforts we have undertaken through our 10-year Delivering for America plan,” said Postmaster General and chief executive officer Louis DeJoy. “As we transform our operating processes and invest in new automation, new technologies, and upgraded facilities and vehicles, we will generate significant efficiencies that reduce our costs, minimize waste across all functions of our operations and slash our carbon footprint.”
According to Jennifer Beiro-Réveillé, the organization’s senior director of environmental affairs and corporate sustainability, the new goals will help the postal service better meet the needs of the American people.
“Our customers and partners expect the Postal Service to be efficient and environmentally responsible and I’m proud that our leadership team has developed meaningful sustainability goals and aligned them with our operational efficiency, service improvement and revenue growth initiatives,” she said. “These new targets help advance our commitment to being the greenest way for customers to mail and ship across the country.”
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