In releasing its first-ever sustainability data, the U.S. Postal Service shows that it has cut total energy use by 9 percent between 2005 and 2008, while making strides in e-waste recycling and energy intensity.

The agency's facilities are also getting more energy efficient: Per square foot energy use is down 20 percent since 2005, while its intensity -- energy used per piece of mail -- is down 14 percent.

Vehicles are still a growing source of the Postal Service's overall energy use, however: The report shows a 5 percent growth overall in the report, with petroleum-based fuels climbing by 4 percent and alternative fuels (in this case biodiesel, CNG, E-85 ethanol-based gas, electricity, and propane) growing by 61 percent over these years.

Sam Pulcrano, the USPS's vice president of sustainability, writes in the introduction to the report:

The Postal Service has a unique opportunity to leave a green footprint across our national landscape, because we are at every door, in every community, every day. We have three over-arching sustainability goals to help us do that: reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, reduce waste to landfills and engage our employees in our efforts.

We’ve taken a significant first step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by producing our first GHG emissions inventory. It gives us a starting point for our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. And I’m pleased to tell you that the Postal Service is the first federal agency to publicly report its greenhouse gas emissions.

In October, the USPS released both its carbon footprint as well as its goals for reducing that footprint, to 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Another area that the Postal Service is making progress in greening is in disposal of e-waste: Between 2005 and 2008, the USPS increased its reuse or recycling of electronics by 79 percent, up to 1,348 metric tons of e-waste from 755 in 2005. The USPS has also partnered with outside firms to enable individuals to recycle their e-waste through post offices.

The Post Office has also been a leader in adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, as the growth in its energy use from such fuels shows. The agency added 6,500 more fuel-efficient vehicles to its fleet this summer with the help of stimulus funds, and has put a shipping optimization program to work to save $5 million per year, the agency reported last year.

The full U.S. Postal Service sustainability report is available for download online [PDF].