While the US Postal Service has been in the budgetary red in recent times, it's the other holiday color they're more interested in this season. In a press release, the country's mailing service recommended five tips for going green while sending cards and gifts this month, while touting its environmentally friendly efforts and products.

“The Postal Service is one of the greenest mailing and shipping companies in the world,” said Thomas Day, chief sustainability officer. “We offer more than a half-billion eco-friendly mailing and shipping supplies, free package pickup and holiday cards printed on recycled paper available in 2,000 Post Offices, and the Postal Service is leading the adoption of green practices by engaging our employees, customers and suppliers.”

While e-greetings are truly the environmentally friendly way to deliver your message, USPS is taking strides to reduce their emissions as well.

“We have a ‘fleet of feet’ delivering mail the greenest way possible, by walking,” Day said. “Nearly 9,000 of our carriers will be delivering holiday mail on foot this season. And we also have nearly 80,000 ‘park and loop’ routes, where carriers will drive vehicles from the Post Office to neighborhoods and then deliver those holiday packages and cards on foot."

Five green products and services

Packaging

USPS sells a range of post-consumer recycled content, including ReadyPost boxes, envelopes and labels. In addition, many of the products used in Priority mail and Express mail deliveries are subject to "rigorous sustainable packaging standards," USPS says. You can peruse their products here.

Postage

USPS says that its environmentally friendly stamps and postage products number in the billions. This includes stamps, stamped envelopes, and postal cards, all made with post-consumer recycled content.

Shipping

In an effort to cut down on customer traveling costs and emissions, USPS is offering a free package pick-up service. Customers can order free shipping supplies, and also print shipping labels and pay for postage, all from home. "The Postal Service will pick up packages free the next business day and send them on their merry way to cheer loved ones wherever they are," says the release.

Delivery

USPS says they will use 215,000 vehicles to deliver 16.5 billion cards before Christmas Eve. However. The service says that many of these vehicles use alternative fuels and include three-wheeled electric vehicles with zero gas emissions.

Recycling

USPS says that they have placed secure recycle bins in over 10,000 post offices nationwide for customers to deposit their greeting leftovers. According to the release, USPS diverted approximately 56,000 tons of paper from landfills during last holiday season. That added to a yearly total of 225,000 tons of paper, plastics, and other waste recycled in 2010.