Verizon Expands Sustainability Program to Reduce Global Carbon Footprint

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Verizon has launched a comprehensive sustainability program that includes new initiatives and expands existing energy and recycling efforts to help reduce the company's global carbon footprint. Efforts range from increasing the number of alternative fuel vehicles in the company's fleet to providing customers with energy-efficient set-top boxes.

Here are some new initiatives Verizon plans to launch this year. The networking company plans to add 1,600 alternative fuel vehicles including hybrid and compressed natural gas-powered aerial trucks and vans, as well as hybrid pick-up trucks and sedans to its Verizon fleet. The company is also increasing its use of biodiesel and flex-fuel (E85). Click here to view a video on the benefits of hybrid aerial trucks in New York.

Verizon in partnership with Motorola will launch a trial of energy-efficient set-top boxes for FiOS TV customers in select markets. These new QIP models use less energy and offer more storage capacity. In addition, the packaging will be 100 percent recyclable and made from 75 percent recycled cardboard.

Other initiatives include an employee awareness campaign aimed at helping employees cut energy use, recycle and reuse at work and home. As an example, Verizon offers free electronic recycling days at various company locations. Also, Verizon's IT, security, communications and network expertise are helping the utility sector ramp up smart grid deployment.

Some of Verizon's efforts in 2009 helped the company reduce CO2 emissions by more than 793 million pounds, and improve its rate of emissions per million dollars in revenue to 60.2 metric tons of CO2 in 2009, from 64.4 metric tons in 2008.

Other sustainability measures include setting energy-efficiency standards for the company's suppliers of network equipment, which saved 91 million kilowatt hours and prevented more than 114 million pounds of CO2, and conducting millions of virtual meetings each month for Verizon employees, customers, partners and suppliers. Verizon employees avoided the equivalent of 8 million pounds of CO2.

The company's drivers also saved 1.7 million gallons of fuel in 2009 as part of the company efforts to reduce engine idling.

In terms of building sustainability, Verizon installed energy-efficient lighting and is monitoring building temperatures, which reduced energy consumption by 84 million kilowatt hours. The company's operations center in Basking Ridge, N.J., and two Verizon Wireless stores earned the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED silver and gold certifications, respectively. In addition, more than 30 stores earned Energy Star Status last year.

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