Overall, Verizon’s carbon intensity is about nine times below the US average, as reported by the US Energy Information Administration. Verizon’s rate of 64 metric tons of CO2 emissions per million dollars in revenue represents a year-over-year improvement of 3%. The company remains committed to finding practical and innovative ways to increase energy efficiency and bolster conservation efforts.

Verizon also operates the largest fuel cell site of its kind in the nation. The company’s Energy Star facility in Garden City, New York, uses seven fuel cells capable of generating enough electrical power per hour to meet the energy needs of 400 single-family homes. In 2008, Verizon also:

Became the first telecommunications company to require that the network equipment it purchases be 20% more energy efficient.

Launched an initiative to limit engine idling, which cut fuel consumption by more than 1 million gallons (equivalent to taking some 1,600 cars off the road for a year.

Electronically delivered about 100 million bills to customers.

Collected over 1.1 million cell phones, an increase of 6% from 2007, through HopeLine, a Verizon Wireless program that collects, refurbishes and sells used phones to benefit domestic violence prevention programs.

Recycled 35.1 million pounds of telecommunications equipment. (That’s equivalent to the weight of more than 11,500 Toyota Prius sedans.)

Focused on purchasing goods containing recycled material. As a result, 60% of all goods purchased by the company contained recycled material.

Every day our advanced wireline and wireless networks help our customers, large and small, connect to what’s important for them in greener, more efficient ways, said Joan Simpson, vice president of green and environmental strategies for Verizon. That same spirit of innovation and commitment to efficiency serves us well as we look for ways to reduce the environmental impact of our own operations.

Verizon will continue delivering on its principal environmental objectives of reducing GHG emissions, increasing recycling rates, deploying new energy-saving technologies in its operations, and making consumers and policymakers aware that broadband technology can significantly reduce energy consumption and conserve resources.

Some examples of how Verizon has begun and will continue to deliver on that commitment in 2009 are:

Verizon Wireless signed two marketing agreements that facilitate the deployment of smart power grid projects.

Verizon Business will continue upgrading its fiber-optic network with equipment that is four times more efficient and also reduces cooling costs. This could be equivalent to keeping as many as 16,000 cars off the road annually.

Verizon is continuing to work on new data center designs that reduce energy consumption and associated costs.

Verizon is continuing to install energy-efficient thin-client computers reducing the associated energy usage by 30%.

Verizon is a US-based supplier of broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations.