How much of the mail in your mailbox do you really want to look at, and how much goes straight to the recycling bin? The average American receives 41 pounds of junk mail every year, and according to the EPA, only 40% of mail is recycled. (Source) From now on, say NO to junk mail.
To stop unwanted mail, you’ll need to head to your phone or computer:
- Visit optoutprescreen.com to opt out of receiving prescreened offers of credit and insurance
- Visit org to select the mail you would like to receive and opt out of those you do not want.
- To find out how to stop a particular brand of junk mail, visit Catalog Choice. You can search by company and Catalog Choice will walk you through how to unsubscribe for that junk mail.
- The other things likely filling up your mailbox are bills. Most companies you regularly do business with — utilities, credit cards, your bank, phone company, etc. — offer a paperless billing option. Get your bill online and pay it online. You can always print any records you want, including old bills, from the company’s website.
- For other items, we suggest you write “Return to Sender” on unsolicited mail with a polite, but firm note to remove your name and address from their marketing list.
There are no financial incentives but consider this fact from the Story of Stuff:
“Junk mail isn’t just annoying – it also has a big impact on the planet. Every year, we cut down over 100 million trees to produce paper for junk mail. Plus, making and distributing all that mail releases as much CO2 into the atmosphere as 9 million cars per year. Finally, producing and recycling all those tons and tons of junk mail consumes 28 billion gallons of water each year! That’s a huge impact, just to sell us more stuff we don’t need.”
County Executive Ike Leggett at the County’s paper sorting recycling facility.
