Company Powers Down Computers, Purchases Green Power
ATLANTA, March 29, 2005 UPS (NYSE:UPS) is implementing two new initiatives to protect the environment 11,000 computers soon will automatically go to sleep when not in use, and 14 California facilities have begun purchasing green power.
UPS also has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Green Power Partnership.
Energy conservation and choosing renewable energy sources are just two of the many ways UPS actively pursues its commitment to sustainable business practices, said Mike Herr, UPS vice president of environmental affairs. We have always believed that working green and working smart are synonymous.
The computer initiative is part of whats known as the ENERGY STAR Million Monitor Drive. UPS is installing sleep software on 11,000 of its computers in Atlanta, Louisville, Towson, Md., and Mahwah, N.J., to conserve energy while saving the company almost US$145,000 per year.
Most computers are used only an average of four hours each business day but continue to consume energy even when idle. The Million Monitor Drive challenges organizations to set computer monitors to go into a low-power sleep mode during periods of inactivity.
In addition to reducing energy use with its computers, UPS now has 14 facilities in California currently using green power as part of their electricity supply. This power is supplied by 3 Phases Energy Services and comes from biomass sources. Biomass refers to a waste-to-energy process and can take the form of converting landfill gas, human and animal waste or agricultural waste to energy.
UPS is purchasing 10 percent of its electricity at the 14 California facilities from these cleaner, more renewable sources.
This commitment, which will prevent the release of 2.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide, a leading cause of global warming, has the equivalent environmental impact of removing 213 cars from the road for a year, said Herr. This carbon reduction is equal to the carbon absorption capacity of 330 acres of trees.
UPS also recently joined the EPAs Green Power Partnership, which recognizes companies that demonstrate environmental leadership by choosing cleaner and renewable energy sources. UPS already generates green power with solar panels at its facility in Palm Springs, Calif., in addition to the 14 facilities now operating on electricity created from biomass sources.
California UPS facilities using green power include operations in South San Francisco, Sunnyvale, West Sacramento, Victorville, Visalia, San Bernardino, Romoland, Ventura, Newbury Park, Goleta, Laguna Hills, Cerritos, Baldwin Park and Ontario.