Frugal How-To Cut Junk Mail

[Guest guest]

Frugal How-To Cut Junk Mail

*********************

 

Why Such a Fuss Over Junk Mail?

(from the New American Dream website)

 

The world's forests are feeling the strain of unsustainable demand for

wood and paper. The United States consumed 99 million tons of paper in

1997, or about 740 pounds per American. The U.S., with 5% of the

world's population, consumes 30% of the world's paper.

 

By weight, paper products comprise nearly one-third of all waste going

into American landfills. Bulk mail, a substantial chunk of our paper

waste, is especially troubling because it is often unsolicited and

thus leaves citizens to dispose of materials they did not choose to

consume.

 

Catalogs and other direct mailings account for 5.2 million tons of

waste each year and are recycled at a paltry rate of 19%, leaving over

4 million tons to clog landfills. That's 340,000 garbage trucks filled

to the brim with nothing but bulk mail!

 

This is a problem not only because of the waste disposal issue but

also because it forces more paper to be made from trees, a very

resource intensive process. Producing a ton of virgin paper requires

17 more trees, 7000 more gallons of water, and substantially greater

energy input than a ton of 100% recycled paper.

 

Furthermore, chlorine is often used in the bleaching process,

releasing the carcinogenic chemical dioxin and other toxins.

 

Declare your independence from junk mail. Ask Congress to create a

national Do Not Junk registry modeled after the wildly sucessful Do

Not Call registry. Visit this site to learn more:

http://www.newdream.org/junkmail/index.php

<a href= " http://www.newdream.org/junkmail/index.php " >Learn How To Cut

Your Junk Mail</a>

 

Do what you can to cut your junk mail in half with existing tools

using a simple online form at this site:

http://www.newdream.org/Junkmail/form.php

<a href= " http://www.newdream.org/Junkmail/form.php " >A Form To Cut Your

Junk Mail</a>

 

 

--

Diana Gonzalez

 

 

 

 

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is

carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a

life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

-Unknown