Canada Post goes green

Canada Post says it needs to crack down on junk mail in order to save the environment and - its bottom line. After issuing its first annual corporate responsibility report yesterday, the Crown corp launched a new campaign to encourage more sustainable mailing practices for businesses and consumers.

“Our future success depends on our ability to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner”, said Moya Greene, president and CEO of Canada Post. “This report and the action plans that drive it are an important step in inspiring confidence that Canada Post is working to create a sustainable future not only for the corporation, but also for all Canadians.”

Canada Post’s green operational initiatives include:

Buildings Since 2002, the corporation has reduced emissions from Canada Post-owned buildings by 8 percent. Starting in 2008, the design process for all new buildings will use the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) framework of the Canada green-building rating system.

Fleet Canada Post is focused on two key strategies to reduce fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions in the near term, including purchasing smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles and working with manufacturers and after-market outfitters to find viable alternative vehicles, including hybrids, to meet operational needs.

What you can do:

Recycle your mail Many municipalities have expanded the types of items they accept for recycling to include windowed envelopes, magazines, glossy flyer paper and catalogues. If you shred confidential documents first, they will be recycled more securely.

Sign up for epost Request e-statements directly from participating mailers or through epost. Once you have registered for your free epost box, epost delivers bills and other documents sent to you electronically from participating mailers. Many epost mailers also allow electronic bill payment.

Participate in the Consumer Choice Program Choose to reduce paper waste by saying NO to junk mail through Canada Post’s eco-friendly consumer choice option. They honour requests not to receive unaddressed advertising materials - a little-known policy that has been in place for more than ten years. It is so little known, in fact, that only 2 percent of Canadians have adopted it. Beth Ringdahl, president of EcoEco, launched the Red Dot campaign on her own dime earlier this year to help people cut down on junk mail and urge advertisers to re-allocate their investments and current marketing strategies to transition into socially responsible and community-based initiatives.

Visit the Canada Post website for tips on greening your business’s mailing practices.

Check out information on the www.forestethics.com and www.marketsinitiative.org to find out more about forest conservation and the impacts of paper production.