Global Postal News: - Post office puts stamp of approval on green movement:

STAMFORD -- The Camp Avenue post office went green with the unveiling of 16 "Go Green" stamps and a postmark designed by 18-year-old Stamford resident Kelly Merole Wednesday, in an effort to inspire citizens to positively impact the environment.

Merole, a Trinity Catholic High School senior, designed a postmark that features a heart shaped globe and the phrase "It's easy being green." It was meant to accompany the stamps, each of which has a pictorial representation of how people can make little changes that help the environment. One of the stamps promoted the purchase of locally grown produce, one told residents to turn off lights that are not in use and one urged people to forgo driving and walk when possible.

"If things are environmentally friendly, it will keep us here longer," Merole said. "It's always been something I've been interested in."

Merole is a part of her school's environmental group and is an alumnus of St. Cecilia Elementary School's "Wee Deliver" literacy program, which teaches students how the postal system works and how to appreciate the value of a written letter. She said Wee Deliver, the globe and Kermit the Frog's song, "It's not easy being green," inspired her to design the postmark.

Merole's postmark and the new stamps are intended to advocate environmentally friendly actions, Lisa Landone, customer relations coordinator for the post office, said. The post office wanted to make the environmental initiatives fun and show Stamford residents, and people around the world, how easy it is to impact the earth in a positive way, she said.

"The main purpose of this event is to take action no matter how big or small, to protect natural resources and the environment," Landone said. "Everyone can do a little bit of changing the world."

These stamps and the postmark will become collector's items and part of postal history, which Landone said she hopes will help to raise awareness of environmental issues. The stamps are Forever Stamps, which means they will forever be sold at the current stamp rate, $0.44, and will always be valid.

She said the tips featured on the stamps would both help the environment and save people money. Additionally, they are easy and quick tasks.

"Many tips offered on these stamps you might already do, but others, like composting, take a little bit of effort," said Stamford Postmaster Jim Simmons, Jr. "No matter how great or small, our actions do make a difference."

Mayor Michael Pavia spread the message that he and Stamford care about sustainability, recycling and other "Go Green" efforts. He spoke about the city's single-stream recycling system that he said he wants more residents to take part in because it is a simple and easy way to recycle. In this system, all recyclable materials, from soda bottle tops to old papers, are put in the same bin.

"There are all different facets and components to being green," Pavia said. "There is one thing each and every citizen can do, be more conscious of what you recycle."

Source: stamfordadvocate.com, May 25, 2011