In honor of Earth Day, the NCUA touted several steps the agency has taken to help the environment, including recycling cell phones and reducing print communications and water usage.

The agency said its employees are observing Earth Day again this year with an in-house recycling event.

In the last year, the NCUA received an ENERGY STAR certification from the Environmental Protection Agency for its central office, scoring 86 out of a possible 100 points. The agency also established a new recycling program for batteries, cell phones and other small electronic devices.

In addition, the NCUA created a load-shed program that cuts electrical consumption at the central office through the use of a generator during high-demand days.

“Being a responsible corporate citizen and a good steward of the public trust is a priority for the agency,” NCUA Board Chairman Debbie Matz said on Tuesday.

“During the last year, we've taken additional steps to reduce resource use, lower the level of waste we produce, and make the agency more environmentally efficient. Meanwhile, we encourage credit unions to make a similar commitment to increasing efficiency, reducing environmental costs and promoting greater environmental awareness in their operations,” Matz added.

The agency said it has lowered its water usage at the central office from 2012 by 423,000 gallons, in part by switching to low-flow faucets and toilets. The NCUA has also replaced many print communications with online versions.