Eliminate Junk Mail

I always receive so much unnecessary mail everyday, ranging anywhere from magazine and credit card offers to random college applications! They go straight into my recycling bin, and trust me, the bin is pretty full at the end of the week. Even though I recycle, it would be better for the environment if I didn't receive the materials in the first place.

Global Stewards has a great article about getting rid of these junk mail offers. Here's the gist of it:

1. To remove your address from the list of many companies for up to five years, contact the Direct Marketing Assocation. You can go to this website to find out how.
2. Call up companies directly to ask to be removed from their mailing lists: Val-Pak Coupons (1-800-676-6878), America Online Discs (1-800-827-6364), and Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes (1-800-645-9242).
3. Call and ask your credit card company to stop selling out your name!
4. Try not to fill out contest cards.
   

Here are some surprising impacts of junk mail:

1. 50% of all junk mail is thrown away without being open (you hear that, mailing companies?)
2. 100 million trees were consumed to produce U.S. junk mail for one year. Now that is just ridiculous.
3. The average adult spends 70 hours each year dealing with junk mail. That's for all of you that can't seem to find enough time on your hands to do everything!
4. Junk mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 2.8 million cars. Again, unbelievable.

When I'm out in the world on my own, I will be sure to cancel all junk mail and save myself the time (and temptations). Seriously, this could be a great thing to do to begin the new year off right. This image is courtesy of denvergov.org.