When packages are delivered to your property, they often come from UPS. You may not know it, but UPS is doing a lot to reduce its environmental impact around the world. UPS has a long history with electric vehicles, having first introduced them into its U.S. fleet in the 1930s. UPS now has more than 1,000 electric and hybrid electric vehicles deployed worldwide. The company’s fleet of approximately 9,300 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles now drives more than 1 million miles each day.
Since 2008, the company has invested over $1 billion in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and infrastructure. This strategic investment redirects a purchase that would normally support the acquisition of a diesel or gas-powered vehicle to an alternative fuel vehicle. In fact, UPS has committed that by 2020, 25 percent of annual vehicle purchases will be alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicles. This shift toward alternative fuel vehicles and the infrastructure that supports them has helped UPS to drive the electric vehicle market to cost parity with conventional fuel vehicles, while also realizing both fuel and maintenance cost savings.
Last year, UPS announced the launch of an eBike that will deliver packages in Pittsburgh. The electrically-assisted tricycle will help reduce carbon emissions in addition to traffic, noise and air quality challenges in Pittsburgh.
UPS recently joined together with GreenBiz to research the barriers and motivators for commercial fleet electrification. Click here to read that study.
Sixteen Sustainability Reports
The company produces a sustainability newsletter and an annual sustainability report. It has produced 16 annual sustainability reports so far.
UPS announced a pledge in 2015 to plant 15 million trees around the world by the end of 2020. Last year UPS planted 2.7 million trees through the UPS Global Forestry Initiative.
The UPS Foundation provides financial and employee volunteer support to environmental programs with a focus on reforestation and conservation, carbon reduction efforts and environmental research/education.
UPS employees contribute millions of volunteer hours to their local communities and their favorite nonprofit organizations each year.
