Stop That Mail
Reduce the Amount of Unwanted Mail That is Delivered to Your Mailbox and Recycle the Rest
HOW
Cut back on the amount of junk mail sent to the landfill by cancelling unnecessary subscriptions and recycling all unwanted mail. There are a number of services available to help you reduce the amount of unwanted mail in your mailbox. EPA recommends using the Direct Marketing Association service to manage and reduce junk mail.
For more information on recycling, visit EPA's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Web site, and to find out about paper recycling resources in your area, visit the Where You Live section on EPA's paper recycling Web site.
WHY
In 2008, Americans produced over 5.5 million tons of waste from direct mail. That is approximately 100lbs of mail per household per year. Reducing the amount of junk mail you throw away reduces emissions generated from paper production and disposal, as well as from transporting your mail. While recycling is important, reducing the amount of unwanted mail delivered reduces 3 times the amount of carbon emissions as compared to recycling it.
Find out how solid waste disposal contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Math and Assumptions
- Reductions are calculated assuming cutting back on the amount of unwanted mail by 25% and recycling the rest.
- US 2009 Adult Population according to the US Census is approximately 230 million. Source: http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/2008-nat-res.html
- 5.5 million tons of standard mail generated nationwide in 2008. Source: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2008data.pdf
- Average GHG emissions (output) per lb. of mail recycled rather than sent to the landfill is 3.07 lbs of CO2 equivalent. Source: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/calculators/Warm_Form.html
- Average GHG emissions (output) per lb. of mail source reduced rather than sent to the landfill is 9.21 lbs of CO2 equivalent. Source: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/calculators/Warm_Form.html
