Verizon Offers 10 Tech Tips for Being Greener by Earth Day

NEW YORK, April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanks to today's broadband and wireless technologies, being green has never been easier. With the approach of Earth Day, which will be observed on April 22, here are 10 ways technology can help people reduce their carbon footprint:

1. Recycle cell phones that are no longer used. Donating these phones to the Verizon Wireless HopeLine® program will keep batteries out of landfills and help generate funds to assist domestic violence survivors.
2. Telecommute when possible. Whether it's one day a week or once a month, working from home and using broadband connections, like Verizon's ultra-fast FiOS Internet or reliable High-Speed Internet services, can help reduce traffic congestion, trim your fuel bill, and reduce GHG emissions while adding time to your day.
3. Go paperless. In 2009, Verizon customers replaced 110 million paper bills with online bills, saving 2,866 tons of paper.  By opting to receive monthly bills electronically, Verizon wireline and wireless customers helped save the equivalent of 68,793 trees.
4. Use video conferencing instead of travel. (One flight between New York and Los Angeles produces 1,600 pounds of CO2 per person.) Verizon employees held more than 8,000 virtual meetings in 2009, saving the equivalent of  taking nearly 700 passenger cars off the road for a year.  
5. Get the Go Green App. Verizon Wireless customers can find out their Green IQ, take quizzes and learn about taking simple steps to become more environmentally conscious.
6. Shop online using a high-speed Internet connection instead of making a trip to the mall for a single item.
7. Movie Night at Home. Watch a movie with a theater-like experience by using Verizon FiOS TV's video-on-demand service instead of driving to rent a movie.
8. Need a new light bulb? Opt for a compact fluorescent bulb, which cuts carbon emissions and outlasts conventional light bulbs.
9. Use a mapping tool, such as VZ Navigator, to find the most direct route to your destination to help save on fuel.
10. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site to learn about additional steps you can take at home, work or school to help protect the environment (http://www.epa.gov/).  Or visit Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), a free educational Web site, to find a host of free educational resources to teach children about environmental stewardship.  

"When it comes to reducing carbon emissions, small steps add up," said James Gowen, chief sustainability officer for Verizon. "Every day, we're discovering new ways that Verizon's ultra-fast broadband and wireless networks help our customers reduce their carbon footprints."

Verizon is committed to finding practical and innovative ways to increase energy efficiency and bolster conservation efforts. In 2009, Verizon's aggressive energy reduction measures reduced the company's CO2 emissions by more than 793 million pounds, approximately the amount of CO2 emitted by 46,700 homes in a year. The company also improved its rate of emissions per million dollars in revenue to 60.2 metric tons of CO2 in 2009, from 64.4 metric tons in 2008.

(NOTE: To view a video featuring the many ways Verizon is reducing its carbon footprint, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tETxFdHh0LM.)

For more information on Verizon's commitment to the environment, visit the company's Green Press Kit at http://newscenter.verizon.com/kit/green-press-kit/.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 91 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of approximately 222,900 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon