Monday, February 14, 2011

Monday #6- Get Rid of Junk Mail

What Matters Most?

Facts:
  • Junk mail deliveries surpass the number of US Postal Service 1st class mail.
  • Even though 44% of all junk mail is discarded without being opened, people will still spend 8 months of their lives opening junk mail.
  • Only 2% of junk mail gets a response.
  • 100 million trees are needed to produce the annual supply of bulk mail--thats the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months.
  • Over $350 million taxpayer dollars are spent annually to dispose of junk mail that does not get recycled.
  • 5.6 million tons of catalogs and other direct-mail advertisements end up in landfills annually.
  • The average person recieves only 1.5 personal letters each week compared to 10.8 pieces of junk mail.
  • As of 2010, paper takes up 48% of our landfill space.
Take action today!
  1. Write "Please do not rent or sell my name" next to your name whenever you enter a contest, make a purchase or donation, join a buyer's club, order a product by mail, subscribe to a magazine, or return a warranty card.
  2. Call the customer service number of the company or organization that is sending you unwanted mail and ask to be removed from their list.
  3. Remove your name from several national mailing lists through the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service. You can register online or by mail.
  4. Contact major consumer credit bureaus to have your name removed from mailing lists used for credit offers.
You matter!
How many trees fit in your mailbox?

500 pieces of junk mail per person per year...what a waste.
By decreasing your junk mail, you'll save trees, save waste, decrease pollution, save time, and save the mail carrier's back because he or she won't have to deliver mail that you don't read anyways.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

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