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During 2006 the Postal Service began using Shared Energy Savings contracts to perform energy surveys and implement energy conservation measures (as discussed in the Reduced Cost chapter). The total estimated value of the work to be performed under these contracts over their 10-year term could be as great as $1.3 billion. In addition to reducing utility costs and energy consumption, the installation of conservation measures will improve facility operating conditions, contribute to environmental and public health goals, and support alternative energy technologies.

Community Involvement
Providing a watchful eye in the communities it serves is demonstrated through the Postal Service's ongoing commitment to the protection of children, their families, and society as a whole. Once each week thousands of carriers deliver ADVO's "Have You Seen Me" cards featuring photos of missing children. To date, 143 children have been safely returned to their homes through this initiative. Recognizing their unique presence in America's neighborhoods and the needs of the home-bound, the elderly, and people with disabilities, carriers coordinate with local community social service agencies to provide support through the Carrier Alert program. Many people alone at home rely on carriers in the event of incapacity.

The Postal Service's sale of semipostal stamps provides for certain First-Class Mail stamps to be sold at 45 cents. The difference between the postage and sales price of the stamp is used for important social concerns. To date, three semipostal stamps approved by Congress have been issued: Breast Cancer Research (in partnership with the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services), Heroes of 2001 (with the Federal Emergency Management Agency), and Stop Family Violence (in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services). The Breast Cancer Research stamp has raised more than $53.1 million for research, the Stop Family Violence semipostal raised more than $3.1 million for domestic violence prevention programs, and the Heroes of 2001 stamp raised more than $10.5 million for distribution to families of emergency relief personnel killed or permanently injured in the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

In response to an estimate of more than 30,000 Americans without sufficient food, the Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers annually conduct the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the largest annual one-day food drive in the world. Each year carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns collect food items donated by customers. Postal employees everywhere collect food and deliver it to local community food banks, pantries and shelters. This year, the drive collected 70.5 million pounds of food for the hungry.

The Postal Service joins other federal agencies in the Combined Federal Campaign drive each fall. In the 2005 campaign, Postal Service employees nationwide pledged a total of $39.8 million in payroll deductions for calendar year 2006.

Safety
Employees are the Postal Service's greatest asset and must be protected by making their work environment safe. New technology and mail processing equipment is being designed ergonomically to avoid movements and actions that lead to injury. Training reinforces safe practices involving workplace awareness and proactive measures to avoid injury and illness. The Postal Service continues to partner with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to implement its prestigious Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) in postal facilities.

In the area of public safety, the Postal Service continues to develop relationships with each state's Office of Emergency Management and local first responders. An aggressive outreach campaign was conducted to help federal, state, and local emergency responders better understand the Postal Service and its evolving role in managing recovery from acts of terrorism and disasters. The Postal Service serves with law enforcement and intelligence agencies on a multiphase project to assess potential terrorist threats. The Biohazard Detection System (BDS) provides an early warning of potential threats of a mail-related biohazard, allowing an immediate evacuation and containment response and reducing the risk of exposure to employees and the public. In support of the BDS program, the Postal Service conducted numerous full scale BDS exercises nationally involving local first responders.