Stop Junk Mail It's Good for the Environment

Everyone gets it and most of us consider it junk. I’m talking about direct mailings commonly known as junk mail. All direct mailings or junk mail end up as waste whether thrown in the garbage or recycled with about 44% thrown away unopened1. It’s easy to stop receiving direct mailings and there good reasons to do so.
Stopping the flow of junk mail is good for the environment because it reduces the amount of extracted natural resources, it reduces energy use during production, distribution and recycling and it reduces the amount of waste in landfills. While you’re at it, you can also stop unwanted emails and telephone calls.
Paper waste amounts to 69 million tons / year in the United States2.  
1.5 trees / year / household3 is used in the production of junk mail.
That’s about 848 pieces of junk mail / year / household4.
The production of junk mail as it relates to deforestation equals the same greenhouse gas emissions as 3.7 million cars5 or 17,390,000 metric tons. Not to mention the cost to consumers to dispose non-recycled junk mail equals $370 million / year / person.
REDUCE JUNK MAIL
There are several ways to stop receiving direct mailing (AKA junk mail). You can simply write the company sending the direct mailings a letter asking that your name be removed from their mailing list. Other ways to stop junk mail include the following:
National Do Not Mail List @ www.directmail.com
This is the source of consumer information available to the owners of mailing lists. This source can add and remove your name and information from the mailing list. Complete the application @ www.directmail.com. If there are publication you would prefer to continue receiving, there is an option to do so. You will be contacted twice a year via email to review your preferences.
Stop Credit Card Offers by calling 1-800-OPT-OUTT (1-800-567-8688)
Stop Unwanted Catalogs by contacting Abacus, which is an alliance of publishing companies.
Email: abacusoptout@epsilon.com
Address: PO Box 1478, Broomfield, CO 80038
National Do Not Call Registry is for both landlines and cellphones. Call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want registered. There is no need to update or re-register the device. The request stays on record until you request a cancellation or when service is discontinued on the device. You can also register online @ www.donotcall.gov. Registering online requires a telephone / cellphone confirmation.6
PROPONENTS OF DIRECT MAILING
There is a positive side to direct mail advertising. Proponents promote it as a green way to shop citing consumers take 2 less trips per year to the mall as a result of shopping by catalog7. Reducing trips to the mall by two per year reduces carbon emissions by 3 billion lbs. / year, 3.3 billion less miles driven, which saves $650 million in fuel costs8. Proponents also point to the fact that the production of direct mail advertising is only 0.19% of consumed energy. Lastly, proponents cite that direct mail advertising helps consumers find new products, money saving deals, and exposure to local retailers and service providers.
TAKE AWAY
Taking actions to stop direct mail advertising is a positive step toward improving our environment. It will reduce wasted paper, greenhouse emissions, energy consumption, and landfill waste. Most importantly, you won’t be bothered with unwanted mail!
End Notes:
7, 8 https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

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