US Postal Service 2008 Annual Report Download - page 8

8 | 2008 Annual Report United States Postal Service
Value of the Mail
Value
Mail is the great American equalizer.
No matter where you live, we’ll deliver for you, six days
a week. If it takes a pack mule or seaplane, we’ll just do
it. You can send a First-Class Mail letter from Maine to
Alaska, from Detroit to Dallas, or from Brooklyn to the
Bronx — all for the same price. We’ll stop at the mailbox
at the end of your driveway or drop off mail in the lobby of
your high-rise apartment building. We’ll also pick up your
letters and packages at the same time we deliver.
Everyone can use the mail. There’s no age limit, no
special equipment needed, and feel free to use the level
of technology to match your comfort level. If you want
to mail and ship online, the Post Office is always open at
usps.com. Or if you prefer to talk to a knowledgeable retail
associate, stop by a Post Office. We make it quick, easy
and convenient, as you like it.
We’ve been connecting people and businesses since
the nation’s founding. You might not think about the
mechanics behind getting a piece of mail delivered to
your home or office. But when you receive a package,
important document, or birthday card through the mail,
consider the online merchant who sold you the product
inside that package, the government agency that sent you
that important document, and the child who wishes you
well as you celebrate another yearly milestone.
Mail is the economic engine that enables the Postal
Service to deliver regular, dependable service to everyone.
We’re all in the mail together.
Green
We’re committed to environmental stewardship.
It doesn’t get much “greener” than walking a delivery
route. Nationwide, that’s about 20 percent of all letter
carrier routes. We also have carriers who ride bicycles or
use flexible-fuel vehicles. And postal delivery and pickup
reduces emissions and fuel use. Instead of customers
driving multiple cars to the Post Office, one carrier stops
at multiple homes. We also deliver packages for other
shipping firms, minimizing delivery trips to neighborhoods.
Being green is not a new approach for us. We’re a
recognized innovator and leader in recycling, energy
management, and exploring alternative-fuel technology.
We are committed to actions that promote sustainability —
meeting the needs of the present without compromising
the future.
We’re helping consumers and businesses make
environmentally friendly decisions about their mail. At
usps.com/green, you can learn about green products and
services as well as get recycling ideas and other information
to improve environmental awareness. We’re working with
other companies, agencies and organizations in mail-back
programs that recycle and dispose of small electronics,
compact fluorescent lamps, and discarded or expired
pharmaceuticals. And our packaging and envelopes are
certified for ecologically smart product components.
We’re working with customers, industry groups,
suppliers, and environmental organizations to improve the
environmental performance of mail, and we encourage
marketers to make sure mail is properly addressed and
targeted so consumers receive the mail they want.
Greening the mail is smart business.