Jeanette Fisher  

Environment Free Content Article: Save Trees by Eliminating Junk Mail!

The junk mail flood and three solutions by Jeanette Fisher Eliminating junk mail from your mailbox accomplishes a number of things besides just lowering your aggravation level. It also helps lessen the world's pressure on precious natural resources--and will lighten your mail carrier's load everyday in the process. How can you stop the flood of junk mail? You can start by buying things online that you would normally order through paper catalogs. American companies sent out some 17 billion catalogs in 2006. That's enough to send fifty-nine catalogs to every person in the country. If you prefer catalogs, or don't have access to the Internet, make sure that you only order products from companies who use recycled paper to make their catalogs. America also uses some 2.2 million tons of paper annually just to produce magazines, and that number continues to rise. To fight back, visit your local library to read your favorite magazine every month. They subscribe to dozens of magazines, and by checking out their copy, you not only save trees, but you'll also save money on subscriptions. To help reduce the ecological waste caused by junk mail, you can visit www.ecologicalmail.org and sign up. It's free and they can help lessen your junk mail load. Another effective way to stop the flow of junk mail to your door is to join the National Do Not Mail list. You can do it at no cost by visiting www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference and filling out the form. Your aim is to get your name taken off the various mailing lists people use to send out junk mail. There are thousand of lists, but you'll reduce your junk mail significantly, if not altogether, by adding your information to the National Do Not Mail list. Another source of a considerable amount of junk mail these days are offers from various credit card companies, telling you that you've been pre-approved to receive one of their cards at a special introductory rate. You have a couple different ways of reducing or eliminating those offers through a company called OptOut. You can either call them at 1-888-5-OPTOUT or you can visit their website at www.optoutprescreen.com. Junk mail has been a problem for decades, and as long as companies continue to get a reasonable response to their unrequested mail offers, it will never go away completely. However, you can lessen the amount of junk mail you receive if you take charge and begin to take assertive steps. You know how you pay for your phone service and the government decided that you didn't have to get unwanted telephone calls? When will the government decide that we don't have to get stacks of flyers in our mail boxes. I asked our mail lady to not put the throw-away newspaper ads in my mailbox. She told me that she must deliver all the mail. I had to pay for my mailbox. Why can't I refuse junk circulars? For more on the health of the planet and things you can do, read about Environmental Psychology. Join our Bamboo Women™ community dedicated to healing the earth and have fun learning how to soar. Free conference calls, reports, and ebooks. Bamboo Women Use of this copy without permission (active links required) is a violation of federal copyright laws.   Copyright © 2007 Jeanette J. Fisher

America's "Dream Home" Maker, Jeanette Fisher creates home for glorious living and top-dollar sales. She also helps women achieve their dream life with Bamboo Women™ activities.