Transporting goods across the U.S. releases several million tons of pollution into the atmosphere every day. Union Pacific Railroad has managed to reduce its emissions and save on fuel thanks to a conservation training program.

UP is the largest railroad in the country, covering more than 32,000 miles. We need the goods from the freight cars, but environmentalists say with transportation comes pollution.

"There's a better way of doing things, that going green isn't just for the environment, it can also help your bottom line as well," says Paul McMeekin with P2RIC (Pollution Prevention).

UP is doing that with its fuel masters program, training to use as little diesel as possible to get the job done. "It very realistically simulates the operation of a train," says Larry Jones, manager of fuel conversation.

Engineers are required to train on a simulator at least once a year, which duplicates wind, hills, traffic and other factors. "It's a lot like when you're driving an automobile, you just have to accelerate slowly,” says Jones. “If you accelerate too fast it takes a lot more fuel."

The simulator is one of 28 in operation at Union Pacific locations nationwide. Participants are scored and those with the best marks can win up to $300. "We get a lot of voluntary effort that way just because of the challenge," says Jones.

The program appears to be paying off. In the last two years, Union Pacific has reduced fuel consumption by 50 million gallons, further enhancing railroads' image as the more environmentally-friendly way to transport goods.

If just 10 percent of the freight that traveled by roadways was diverted to rail, it could save the nation 200 million gallons of fuel every year. Saving green while going green is the goal for Union Pacific.

"What they're trying to do is pretty admirable, that they've taken steps to adjust the carbon footprint and they're saving money, but they're also rewarding the staff using incentives to do that,” says McMeekin, who hopes that gives incentive to other big businesses in Omaha to follow suit.