This summer the US Postal Service announced a new "Cradle to Cradle" certified shipping model and package for their postal service. This is the first US mailing service to receive such a designation. Awarded by the MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), the "Cradle to Cradle" Silver rating considers everything from water stewardship to renewable energy, toxicity to recyclability. The package has all-around good environmental health.

According to the press release, "Postal Service mailing and shipping supplies already had exceeded governmental requirements, including recycled content standards from the U.S. EPA. Going beyond existing federal and state agency requirements was a goal in seeking certification."

The MBDC Cradle to Cradle certification process reviews all the environmental attributes of material inputs for each product. Based on 39 criteria for human and environmental health, the rigorous process does not miss a single flaw. It doesn’t just look at the physical content of each material, but at every step the material travels before it gets into the package. "MBDC examined 60 packaging items, breaking those items down to 250 component materials and then further analyzing 1,400 individual ingredients in those component materials before awarding the certification." Due to the improvement in the 500 million + Express Mail and Priority Mail packages and envelopes provided by the Postal Service annually, 15,000 metric tons of carbon emissions will be prevented. That means that these tons of carbon won’t just be offset: they won’t even be used in the first place.

"To get some perspective on that number, consider that the gigantic South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas generates only 250 metric tons of carbon emissions each year — and that’s from power sources, travel and transportation from around the world and wastes generated by printing, promotion and festival-related goods combined,” states Lucinda Michele Knapp of Conscious Choice Magazine.

Going further, "the Postal Service also worked with MBDC to gain certification for an additional 200 million pieces of mailing supplies used each year (decals, labels, packing tape), examining inks, tapes and adhesives." Additionally, the Postal Service redesigned all the Flat-Rate boxes and envelopes as well; as a result, customers can use the same packaging for domestic and international mailing. This eliminates the need for separate packages (andseparate materials), and reduces the amount of source materials requires for use and recycling.

After Wal-Mart, the US is the post office is the second largest employer in the nation. These developments not only effects and educates customers about sustainable business but it will effect the entire postal service staff as well. In addition to Cradle to Cradle packaging materials the USPS has made moves towards using alternative fuel fleets, offsetting carbon emissions in plants, and now, designing more environmentally responsible packaging. With the proper incentives in sight, the postal service has an eco-effective mutually beneficial system!