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The iconic FedEx Envelope, which is already made from 100% recycled content and is 100% recyclable, is getting another environmentally-friendly boost today. FedEx Express, an operating company of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), is launching a carbon-neutral shipping program for its most widely-used packaging solution for document shipping, making it the first global express transportation company to offer carbon-neutral envelope shipping at no extra charge to the customer.

FedEx Express will make an investment in global projects that displace or sequester greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, neutralizing the impacts of the carbon emissions emitted during the shipment of all FedEx Envelopes around the world. The commitment supports EarthSmart — FedEx solutions for a more sustainable world.

“FedEx is continuously seeking new solutions for our customers’ logistics challenges and the same is true for the challenges facing our planet,” said Rajesh Subramaniam, senior vice president, Global Marketing, FedEx Services. “By making FedEx Envelope’s shipping carbon-neutral, we are extending our support for renewable energy solutions—innovations today that we hope will be standards in the future.”

Through the carbon-neutral FedEx Envelope shipping program, FedEx Express will calculate on an annual basis the tons of carbon dioxide released through the shipment of all global FedEx Envelopes. FedEx Express will purchase the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide offsets from the not-for-profit BP Target Neutral, which will neutralize the equivalent amount of CO2 emissions by investing in low carbon development or conservation projects. These projects include a biogas farm facility in the Netherlands, a reforestation project in the Tanzanian Southern Highlands that is converting degraded grassland to commercial forest, and a landfill gas collection system at Thailand’s first sanitary landfill.

“FedEx has invested in technologies to directly reduce greenhouse gases from our greatest sources—planes, trucks and facilities—and, as a result, we are well on our way to meeting ambitious emission reduction goals,” said Mitch Jackson, staff vice president, Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, FedEx Corp. “The carbon neutral program for the FedEx Envelope allows us to further contribute to minimizing the effects of greenhouse gas emissions from our operations by providing more sustainable options for our customers.”

In 2008, FedEx became the first company in the U.S. transportation industry to set a global aviation reduction CO2 goal and a commercial vehicle fuel efficiency fleet goal. By the end of FY2011, aircraft carbon dioxide emissions had declined by 13.8 percent compared to 2005 levels. FedEx Express has improved total fleet miles per gallon within the U.S. by more than 16 percent since 2005. In addition, FedEx has six solar installations with a capacity of more than 6 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.

The carbon neutral program extends to all FedEx Envelope shipping options, including FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2Day, FedEx Economy 2Day A.M. and FedEx Express Saver. More than 200 million FedEx Envelopes are shipped around the world every year.