Signed, Sealed, and Delivered. . . Green

We're all for transporting people and packages by bicycle, but there's no denying delivery trucks are a crucial component of modern life. Luckily, a steady trend toward fleet-greening means that deliveries ranging from pizza to eBay purchases may arrive with a lighter carbon footprint.

UPS started adding hybrid vehicles to its U.S. fleet in 2006 while going electric in Europe in 2008. FedEx has also greened its European fleet with trucks from British electric vehicle manufacturer Modec. The United States Post Office recently contracted Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide to produce an electric mail-delivery truck. In some cities, even pizza delivery has gone electric.

What's next? Ford Motor Company recently unveiled its Transit Connect Electric (pictured above). The zero-emissions van, which is ideal for short-range routes and stop-and-go driving, seems like a good bet for small-business owners who want to go green. Expected to hit the market in late 2010, the Transit Connect Electric could mean that even more deliveries will be easy on the earth.

--Della Watson