With thousands of vehicles moving packages around the world each day, UPS recognizes its contribution to the problem of carbon dioxide emissions. Driven by a sense of duty and good business practices, UPS has invested in alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles, utilizes solar and wind energy, and works to maximize efficiency throughout the delivery process in an effort to minimize their carbon footprint. However, they also give you a chance to help by offering carbon neutral shipping with UPS surcharges.

UPS has been offering the option to ship carbon neutral for a few years now. The carbon neutral option is one of the UPS surcharges individuals can elect to have added to the cost of one’s shipment. Since its introduction, there have been many companies that have signed up to use the carbon neutral shipping option exclusively. UPS uses the money it raises from these surcharges to invest in projects that provide carbon offset credits.

According to UPS’s web site, these carbon offset projects include Garcia River Forestry in the United States, Fujian Landfill Gas in China, La Pradera Landfill Gas in Colombia, and Cholburi Wastewater Biogas-to-Energy in Thailand. UPS has worked with accrediting organizations, such as Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) and The CarbonNeutral Company, to put an offset program in place. UPS handles all of the calculations and offsets for your business to ensure that your business is leaving a smaller carbon footprint. During the first few years of the program, UPS also matched the first million dollars that was spent on carbon offset credits.

UPS surcharges for carbon neutral shipping range from $.10 for standard shipping to $.75 for expedited delivery. Individuals and businesses can elect to purchase carbon offsets when they prepare their shipment. This option, in addition to using reusable and recycled packaging, are helping people ship green.