Verizon Wireless Partnering With EPA's ENERGY STAR to Improve Energy Efficiency

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering its commitment to protecting the environment, Verizon Wireless has become an official ENERGY STAR® Partner.  Through its voluntary partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Verizon Wireless will work to improve energy efficiency and fight global warming.  Seventy-five Verizon Wireless Communications Stores have already earned the ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance.

"We are formalizing our partnership with the EPA and this strategic, corporate energy management program to help us continue to enhance our business' sustainable energy practices and contribute to a better environment for future generations," said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Verizon Wireless.  "And being more energy efficient makes business sense: energy efficient operations help keep costs down, and we can redirect those resources to improve the customer experience."

In partnership with ENERGY STAR, Verizon Wireless will:

• Measure and track energy performance at hundreds of company Communications Stores, switching centers, cell sites and other facilities throughout the United States.
• Integrate ENERGY STAR resources into Verizon Wireless' energy management strategy.
• Spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to employees, partners and community members in the 49 states where Verizon Wireless operates.

"ENERGY STAR partners such as Verizon Wireless are leading the fight against global warming by improving the efficiency of their buildings and facilities," said Jean Lupinacci, chief of EPA's ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial branch.  "We applaud these efforts to help protect our global environment for generations to come."

Verizon Wireless is committed to protecting the environment and complying with all applicable environmental laws and regulations.  Verizon Wireless also offers solutions to help customers conserve the Earth's resources by reducing paper usage through the company's online billing options and keeping old cell phones and batteries out of landfills through HopeLine® from Verizon.

Recently, Verizon Wireless was named one of the Top 12 Green-IT Vendors by Computerworld magazine and was honored by business partner and global technology company Oracle for driving paperless billing and reducing its impact and its customers' impact on the environment.

For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES.

For more information about Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.  

About EPA Energy Star

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $19 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless