Turning the Tide on Junk Mail Waste
Did you know that junk mail makes up a surprising percentage of household waste? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 4 million tons of junk mail are produced each year in the U.S., and over half of that ends up in landfills.
In fact, studies estimate that as much as 5–6% of household waste is just junk mail...unwanted catalogs, credit card offers, and flyers that go straight from the mailbox to the trash.
What’s more, the average American household receives over 40 pounds of junk mail annually. That means most
families are hauling stacks of paper into their homes only to toss them out, often without a second glance. Not only does this clutter your counter space, but it also uses up enormous amounts of natural resources (trees, water, and energy) all for paper you never asked for.
The good news? You don’t have to accept it as
part of daily life. Services like the Direct Marketing Association’s mail preference service, opting out of credit card offers, and calling catalog companies directly to request removal can drastically cut down the pile.
Also, setting up a system
where you recycle the junk mail immediately, before it even hits the kitchen counter, can help keep your home clutter-free.
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