At Tonic, we spend much of our time helping consumers eliminate their junk mail. Our nonprofit of the week shares our tenacity at tackling this huge problem. Forest Ethics is taking the lead among environmental nonprofits in educating the public and taking action to reduce the amount of junk mail arriving at our mailboxes. The organization recently released an informative report on the impact of junk mail on climate change and the environment. The report says that more than 100 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered each year in the US. That equates to about 848 pieces per household. Forest Ethics has completed some amazing research of how all this junk mail contributes to climate change.
According to the report, the “Junk Mail Effect” produces over 51 million tons of greenhouse gases each year, which is the equivalent output of 9.4 million passenger cars, 11 coal-fired plants, mowing more than 20 million lawns, heating 12.9 million homes, and, my fave — 2.4 million cars idling 24 hours a day seven days a week (sounds like a useless waste, eh?). The direct marketers are making the argument that because catalogs eliminate the need to drive to stores, they prevent global warming emissions. According to the report, “greenhouse gas emissions from the production, distribution and disposal of catalogs are 5 to 10 times greater than the emissions that catalogs prevent by eliminating trips to the store.” The report presents a bunch of other fascinating data and myth-busting around the direct mail industry. So, how can you do your part to tackle this huge problem?
1. Visit Forest Ethics and sign its “Do Not Mail” petition. The organization is collecting signatures to take to Congress to persuade it to enact legislation similar to that of the “Do Not Call” list.
2. Sign up for our GreenDimes junk mail reduction service. The Basic service is a free, do-it-yourself process that takes you through all the steps to reduce your junk mail on your own. Our Premium service, which is only $20, promises to reduce your junk mail up to 90 percent — and, we do ALL the work for you. Both services also give you access to our renowned Catalog Screener, which allows you to opt out of individual catalogs that you don’t want. Oh yea, when you purchase the Premium service, we also plant five trees on your behalf!
3. We encourage purchasing online through merchants’ websites — after all, we are fighting junk mail, not business. Just make sure to uncheck boxes on the merchant’s website that permit them to send you marketing and promotional materials — opting into those lists may result in your household’s return to junk mail lists!
Please take a look at this new data on the junk mail problem and take action. The environment (and all those forests) depend on it!
“Tonic Generation’s Non-profit of the Week” is a regular feature at Tonic News Network. If you would like to nominate a non-profit for consideration, please email dan@tonic.com. The non-profit must be an accredited 501(c)3. We look forward to your submissions!