To celebrate Earth’s unique place in the universe, Earth Day, the most widely celebrated international environmental event, is observed on April 22nd each year.  And Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless is doing their part by giving suggestions for environmentally responsible actions, and then acting on those very suggestions.

 As Earth Day approaches, it is time to think green. Taking even small steps can add up to big changes. Verizon, a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services, calls it the “network effect” and the company is doing its part by  offering 10 tips for conserving energy and helping to protect the environment.

Verizon itself utilizes vehicles that use alternative fuels and improve fuel economy while reducing emissions. Verizon has nearly 2,000 such vehicles in its fleet, which is the third-largest corporate vehicle fleet in the nation. They have added hundreds of hybrid Toyota Priuses, as well as more than 500 compressed natural gas vans and 700 hybrid pickups over the past several years. In addition, Verizon is deploying smart technologies in 250 of its buildings where heating, cooling, lighting and airflow will be monitored and managed in real time to reduce energy usage and improve efficiency.

To motivate everyone to reuse and recycle, Verizon has devised an application Verizon Wireless’ My Recycle List. This first comprehensive recycling app, which is free and available for Android (News - Alert) smart phones, provides recycling locations that accept items the user chooses from a menu. Moreover, Verizon has teamed with Motorola to test eco-friendly set-top boxes for FiOS (News - Alert) TV customers in select markets. These new models use significantly less energy than existing models, with packaging that is 100 percent recyclable and made from 75 percent recycled cardboard. Verizon has been officially certified by the Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR (News - Alert) Service Provider for these set-top-boxes, and plans to purchase nearly 4 million of them in 2011.

Verizon urges communities to promote LEED certifications on new construction. Verizon received 18 LEED certifications in 2010, and 85 Verizon Wireless stores have achieved the ENERGY STAR rating. These stores’ designs optimize water and energy use, enhance indoor environmental quality, and reduce waste through responsible procurement and construction practices. Ongoing conservation measures used in the daily operation of the stores place them among the most energy-efficient facilities in the U.S.

 In order to save trees, Verizon has advised people to use online systems instead of paper. A single work group at Verizon implemented a repair tool that allowed its employees to eliminate approximately 40,000 three-part paper repair tag (News - Alert) forms. In addition, the team changed its processes to eliminate two packing machines and unnecessary internal correspondence. These initiatives have reduced Verizon’s costs and eliminated significant amounts of paper, envelopes, packing machine supplies, maintenance and manual labor.

“When it comes to sustainability, Verizon leads by example,” said James Gowen, chief sustainability officer for Verizon. “We take a 360 degree view of our processes, our people and our products to improve our actions when it comes to our impact on the environment.”