Getting Rid of Junk Mail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Marilyn Bohn

Reasons to get rid of junk mail:

• Save time spent sorting it out

• Keep clutter off your counters

• Reduce the amount of paper you have to recycle

• Saves wear and tear on your shredder

• Saves time sorting, making decisions, shredding About 70 hours a year are spent dealing with junk mail

• Save money on local taxes. Millions of local taxes are used to dispose of unsolicited mail every year

The following facts are from https://www.41pounds.org/statistics/

• Save trees. More than 100 million trees are destroyed each year to produce junk mail. 42 of this mail goes into a landfill unopened. A web site called 41 pounds.org offers a service to help reduce the amount of junk mail coming into your home. The cost for this service is $41.00 and lasts for 5 years. More than 1/3 of your fee goes to the environmental or community group you choose.

Some other sites to reduce unwanted mail are:

• DirectMail.com-a quick, free way to reduce junk mail.

• DMA Consumer Assistance–For the past 36 years, the Direct Marketing Association has made it possible to opt-out of mailing lists through its Mail Preference Service.

• www.Catalogchoice.org This is a free service that lets you decline paper catalogs you no longer wish to receive. Reduce the amount of unsolicited mail in your mail box, while it helps to preserve the environment.

• Optout-never receive a pre-approved credit card offer again. Do it online or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

• Ecological Mail Coalition–Businesses stop unwanted mail through this free service.

• Native Forest Network’s Guide–five easy steps to stop junk Here are some facts from their web site:

• The average person gets only 1.5 personal letters each week, compared to 10.8 pieces of junk mail.

• Each person will receive almost 560 pieces of junk mail this year.

• That’s 4.5 million tons of junk mail produced each year!

• 44 of the solid mass that makes up our landfills is paper and paperboard waste.

• By the year 2010, it is predicted to make up about 48%.

• 100 million trees are ground up each year to produce junk mail.

• Lists of names and addresses used in bulk mailings are in mass data-collection networks, compiled from phone books, warranty cards, and charity donations (to name a few).

• Your name is typically worth 3 to 20 cents each time it is sold.

Junk mail is not going to go away. They generate a lot of business. Reducing waste, helping the environment and honoring customer choice is important and we can chose what is important to us to be put in our mail boxes.

About The Author

Marilyn is a professional organizer who works with women and seniors in clearing clutter and providing organizing tips. Clearing clutter helps those she works with to have less stress in their lives and feel more joy in living. 

Marilyn invites you to visit her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find organizing solutions. You will find fun stories and free organizing tips in her blogs, articles and videos.