US Postal Service saves millions through lean, sustainability efforts

Through various sustainability and Lean training efforts, the U.S. Postal Service announced last month it saved more than $34 million and generated some $24 million in revenue last year. The federal agency managed to do this by reducing its consumption of energy, water and consumables while also cutting back landfill waste and introducing new conservation efforts.

Furthermore, the Postal Service recycled 215,000 tons of material, thereby saving roughly $14 million in landfill fees and generating $24 million in new revenue. Officials deployed “Lean Green” teams to help achieve savings and revenue goals, including a $20 million reduction in supplies spending from the previous year.

As the USPS is currently struggling with a budget deficit around $8 billion, such sustainability efforts are seen as critical to getting the agency back on track. By 2015, the postal service hopes to further these savings by reducing the use of facility energy by 30 percent, water by 10 percent, petroleum by 20 percent and solid waste by 50 percent.

“With more than 32,000 facilities, a presence in every community, and the largest civilian fleet in the nation, we know how important our efforts are to make a positive impact on the environment,” said sustainability officer Thomas Day. “Our Lean Green teams are an important part of our conservation culture, and the effort to reduce our carbon footprint.”