working toward a greener future

At Verizon, we hold ourselves responsible for finding ways to reduce our environmental footprint and be more efficient. That's why we continue to minimize the impact of our operations by conserving energy, recycling, and finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges. And we're showing measurable results.

We never stop delivering on our principal environmental objectives: to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, increase recycling rates, deploy new energy-saving technologies in our operations, and make consumers and policymakers aware that broadband technology can significantly reduce energy consumption and conserve resources.

Here are just a few of the things Verizon is doing to care for the environment:

Energy Conservation

• Verizon's energy conservation measures reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 73,300 metric tons in 2008.

Waste Reduction and Recycling

• In 2007, Verizon was inducted into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise Hall of Fame, in recognition of our waste-prevention and recycling programs.
• Our HopeLine program collected more than 1 million cell phones for the second consecutive year, up 6 percent from 2007, to provide free phones and service to domestic violence victims (see chart and accompanying story).
• Verizon is a founding sponsor of Global Releaf, a group that encourages shareholders to sign-up for electronic communications and for customers to sign-up for paperless billing.
• Verizon deliver approximately 100 million bills electronically in 2008. Savings estimate: 2,150 tons of paper.

Telecommunications Equipment Recycling

Cell Phone Battery Recycling

Paper and Cardboard Recycling

Climate Change

• Verizon joined the California Climate Action Registry in 2006 and participates in the Business Roundtable Climate Resolve Program.
• Verizon has participated in the Carbon Disclosure Project (www.cdproject.net) since 2001. The project now has the largest registry of corporate greenhouse-gas emissions data. In 2008, Verizon participated in the CDP's supply chain initiative.
• Verizon is a member of the Global eSustainability Initiative's (GeSI) Climate Change Working Group.
• Verizon has joined the Digital Energy Solutions Campaign (DESC), a coalition of companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) industries. DESC's mission is to "expand policymakers' understanding of the roles of ICT in improving the energy efficiency of the U.S. economy."