Wednesday, February 7, 2024
USPS sets broad goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
The efforts are part of the Delivering for America plan
The Postal Service has announced a set of new, ambitious sustainability targets for fiscal year 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste at every level of the organization’s operations.
The goals are the latest in a series of actions the Postal Service has taken to enhance sustainability across its network and day-to-day operations.
“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 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.”
The Delivering for America plan focuses the organization on specific initiatives to continue to reduce $5 billion in operating costs by accomplishing the following:
• Reducing the Postal Service’s regional and local network transportation by at least $2.5 billion by aggregating volume in fewer facilities; moving mail and packages regionally in an integrated manner, eliminating thousands of trips each day; and using less air transportation.
• Reducing the organization’s processing, distribution and delivery costs by at least $2.5 billion by insourcing previously outsourced operations, consolidating operations out of random buildings, modernizing facilities, reorganizing operating plans and schedules, adding more sortation equipment, and improving operating tactics to increase throughput, gain productivity and increase asset usage.
All of these initiatives will significantly reduce carbon emissions by eliminating wasteful and unnecessary operating activities that have been deployed for almost two decades.
While accomplishing these operational cost and sustainability initiatives, USPS plans to grow its business by several billion dollars.
The new goals will help the Postal Service better meet the needs of the American people, according to Jennifer Beiro-Réveillé, the organization’s senior director of environmental affairs and corporate sustainability.
“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.”
The Postal Service’s new sustainability targets are centered around three core areas: climate action, the circular economy and environmental awareness.
• Taking climate action. USPS is reducing 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 percent and reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent.
Scope 1 emission sources consist of stationary combustion, including building heating (such as natural gas, fuel oil and propane) and generators, mobile combustion (such as owned fleet vehicles and small equipment), on-site wastewater treatment, and fugitive emissions (such as refrigerants). Scope 2 emission sources include purchased electricity and purchased steam.
Scope 3 emission sources include contract transportation, employee business travel, employee commuting, contracted solid waste disposal and wastewater treatment, buildings with fully serviced leases, and transmission and distribution losses from electricity purchases.
• Supporting the circular economy. The Postal Service is focused on strengthening the circular economy by diverting waste from landfills and through the sustainable acquisition of materials. Additionally, USPS will increase its procurement of on-site renewable energy and renewable energy certificates.
By fiscal year 2030, USPS seeks to divert 75 percent of waste from landfills, increase recycled content of packaging to 74 percent, increase package recyclability to 88 percent and increase renewable energy use to 10 percent.
• Expanding environmental awareness. Throughout its work to create a greener Postal Service, the organization will continue to educate its 640,000 employees; local communities; and federal, state and local partners on its progress.
Additionally, the Postal Service seeks to ensure environmental policy requirements are communicated and incorporated into operations, and provide on-site and online training and tools that align with policy and regulatory requirements to 100 percent of relevant USPS employees.
These targets are the latest in a series of actions the Postal Service has taken during the past three years to enhance sustainability across the organization.
Recent actions include:
• Beginning the rollout of the nation’s largest electric vehicle fleet. Modernizing the Postal Service’s mail delivery fleet is a critical part of the Delivering for America plan. Starting in early 2024, USPS will begin to introduce at least 66,000 battery-electric delivery vehicles into its fleet. The organization is also building a nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations to rapidly deploy these emission-free vehicles.
This represents one of the largest commitments to vehicle electrification in the world. USPS will also continue to explore the feasibility of achieving 100 percent electrification for its delivery vehicle fleet.
Last month in Atlanta, the Postal Service debuted the first of tens of thousands of electric charging stations that will eventually be used to power zero-emission USPS delivery trucks.
• Establishing the USPS Environmental Council. In 2023, the Postal Service named four executives to a new panel to create a long-term environmental strategy, with the postmaster general serving as chair.
The Environmental Council will oversee the implementation of the newly announced environmental goals and objectives.
• Advancing a network transformation focused on sustainability. The Postal Service’s 10-year Delivering for America transformation and modernization plan provides the foundation for the organization to continuously improve the sustainability of its operations.
The environmental benefits of the Delivering for America plan will increase as the Postal Service moves forward with this transformation, and every improvement to its operation — from new facilities to improved transportation utilization and delivery route refinements — will help USPS reduce its carbon footprint.
Heroes
They wanted $29,500. It was a scam
A retail associate saved a customer from losing more money in a fake sweepstakes
Subrena Simpson sensed that something was off during a recent transaction with an older customer at the Gardner, MA, Post Office.
The man, who was on his phone when he walked in, told Simpson he needed an envelope to mail a check.
As the retail associate asked questions, the customer would then consult with the person on the other end of the call. That mysterious third party also wanted the customer to send the check overnight.
Uneasy about the transaction, Simpson voiced her concerns to the postmaster. They set the envelope aside and consulted with a postal inspector, who advised the postmaster to go to the local police department.
The postmaster called Simpson from the police station and told her not to mail the envelope.
The Postal Service employee called the customer and asked him to return to the Post Office, explaining that they needed to make a copy of the check because it was evidence of suspected mail fraud.
It was only after the envelope was opened that the scale of the fraud attempt became clear: The check inside was for $29,500.
The customer had been caught up in a sweepstakes scam that promised a $2.5 million jackpot in exchange for a few “fee” payments.
Unfortunately, the man had already paid the scammers $15,000, but Simpson’s sharp eye saved him from losing more money.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
Milestones
Appointments, awards and more
Here’s a look at recent USPS announcements
• Shawana M. Holliday-Wood, a human resources generalist at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC, received a Chief FOIA Officer’s Award for her efforts to help the Postal Service respond to Freedom of Information Act requests.
• Wendy L. Kant was named data asset services director. She previously served as a USPS contractor.
• Navjot Quinteros was named data strategy and governance senior director. She previously served as integration and support manager in the chief information officer’s organization.
• Wilairat Udomsawat was named advanced modeling and geospatial analytics senior director. She previously served as enterprise data management executive manager.
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February 14, 2024
Datebook
‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits’
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will address benefits available after retirement.
The session, “USPS Retirement Health Benefits: Medicare, Dental and Vision,” will be held Wednesday, Feb. 14, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from Aetna, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the discussion.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.
Employees who have questions can email the Benefits and Wellness team.
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USPS sets broad goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
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Heroes
They wanted $29,500. It was a scam
A retail associate saved a customer from losing more money in a fake sweepstakes
-
Milestones
Appointments, awards and more
Here’s a look at recent USPS announcements
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February14Datebook
‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits’