Apparently, the U.S. Postal Service is considering cutting back on one day of mail delivery per week.
Personally, I suppose I’m fine with this, since I get very little time-sensitive mail. But I imagine that there are some folks who’d see this as a real hardship—yet another little blow, at a time when there are plenty of big ones to absorb.
Regardless, someone just emailed me to ask how the service cutbacks might affect global warming.
Sadly, I’ve got no time for a real answer. But Google gives me just enough information for a ballpark answer: as an upper-bound estimate, I think that a one-day-per-week cutback in mail delivery could reduce vehicle CO2 emissions nationwide by as much as 700,000 tons per year.
Here are some numbers—and consider these very preliminary. I think the back of an envelope might be embarrassed to have all this scribbled on it:
-
USPS says that it spent $2.35 billion on energy in 2007—75 percent of which was for transportation.
-
The same source says that fuel for cars and trucks accounted for about two-thirds of all transportation fuel spending.
-
$2.35 billion * 75% * 67% = about $1.2 billion spent on highway fuels in 2007.
-
Cutting mail delivery from 6 days to 5 would have saved about $200 billion in 2007.
-
Gasoline averaged about $2.84 per gallon that year.
-
At that price, $200 million would have bought about 70.4 million gallons of gasoline.
-
When burned, gasoline emits about 19.56 pounds of CO2 per gallon.
-
The CO2 savings total 70.4 million gallons * 19.56 pounds per gallon / 2,000 pounds per ton.
-
That all adds up to 688,732 tons of CO2. Call it an even 700,000 tons.
How much is that? About as much as the annual emissions of a city of about 35,000. A drop in the bucket in a nation of 300 million, but nothing to sneeze at either.
But here’s the thing: I’m almost certain that this number is wrong! In fact, it could be too high by 60 percent or more. Y’see, even if local deliveries are trimmed, inter-city deliveries will still go on, at about the same pace—meaning that USPS trucks will still ply the nation’s highways, traveling every bit as far as they do now. Cutting delivery service by one-sixth might mean cutting total fuel consumption by much less.
So consider yourself warned—if you attribute this number to me, I’ll accuse you of not reading to the end of this post!
This post originally appeared at Sightline’s Daily Score blog.
‘Copenhagen Diagnosis’ offers a grim update to the IPCC’s climate science
Comments
View as Flat
Tasermons Partner Posted 2:14 am
31 Jan 2009
On the other hand, if a day were cut off, it's likely that at least a portion of the mail that would've been delivered by USPS will simply be delievered by private shippers instead.
Still, I imagine that there would be at least a small cut in emissions.
Permalink
spaceshaper Posted 2:42 am
31 Jan 2009
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
Permalink
Pompey Road Posted 4:12 am
31 Jan 2009
When I think of all that paper pulp wood that could have been turned into wood ethanol for the coal trucks to haul coal to the power plant with, it just makes me want to give up Saturday Mail Service.
My dog will miss the mail person more than I will but then again he will still have the power compamy meter man. Since my home is supplied with coal fired electric power I may just take him off the chain and let him enjoy.
The eons of time and nature was good to us down here. It was not until we become civilized that destroying our habitat become fathomable or fashionable.
Permalink
Des Emery Posted 12:33 pm
31 Jan 2009
It only took about a week to get used to the new schedule, although the postman sometimes also missed junk mail on Fridays and Mondays - no loss of communications at all.
I trust your Postmaster General will check his Canadian counterpart to see how easy it is to eliminate that one day.
Des Emery
Permalink
Green Granny Posted 1:03 am
01 Feb 2009
http://www.usps.com/green/
The USPS boasts the largest civilian alternative fuel vehicle fleet, 1/3 of all mail deliveries are made by foot, they are the largest recyclerer, stamps are printed with water-based inks, they are upgrading buildings with the goal of reducing energy use 30% by 2015, have built a straw bale post office, are currently building two LEED certified (or will be when they're done) processing facilities. . .
The USPS is the first mailing/shipping company to achieve Cradle-to-Cradle certification for its packaging materials (like those free Priority mailing envelopes).
The Postal Service is pioneering a "mail it back" program where customers can mail electronic gadgets for recycling instead of throwing them in a dump.
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Ghandi
Permalink
filups Posted 5:50 am
02 Feb 2009
Permalink
estark Posted 8:38 am
02 Feb 2009
I'm dating myself, but I remember when postal carriers actually hopped on the city bus to get from neighborhood to neighborhood. They had an awfully heavy load to carry, but it somehow was accomplished. Now they have it so cushy, driving a block here, a block there, and I can't tell you how often I see carriers sitting in their vehicle, eating lunch or whatever, WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING. That is disgusting.
Permalink
GreeningTX Posted 10:14 am
02 Feb 2009
Permalink
Sam Wells Posted 10:18 am
02 Feb 2009
Let us not forget that a small portion of the postal deliveries are also performed by contract rural carriers.
GreenMom was exactly right in the USPS is one of the few federal fleets that really did something about CO2 emissions, cradle to grave.
I won't dispute the author's contention about CO2 emissions because I usually do things in a "bottom up" manner involving large databases and multiple pollutants such as methane and nitrous. My results could be very much different depending on how much upstream and contracted emissions you want to include.
-sammie
Onward through the fog
Permalink
Pangolin Posted 10:38 am
02 Feb 2009
Put the Carbon Back
Permalink
Tasermons Partner Posted 10:53 am
03 Feb 2009
Permalink