Junk Mail, Catalogs and Phone Books ... Oh My!

Last year, in an effort to reduce the amount of paper in the world, I started a campaign to eliminate junk mail and catalogs from my mailbox and discontinue the delivery of phone books to my home. While I did enjoy, to some extent, browsing through those advertisements ... and while the phone books actually worked great as door stops ... I really didn't need them. And I got to thinking ... if everyone was receiving the quantity that I was receiving ... and eventually sending it all to the landfill ... well, that's a lot of trees being cut down (for nothing) and a lot of waste. So ... it had to end.

Initially it took a little effort ... even when I signed up for a "do not mail" or "opt out" service, I still got stuff ... unwanted stuff. So, when the stuff appeared, I found out who was sending it, called them, and politely asked them to stop sending it to me. Usually people were glad to do it ... and when they were hesitant, I explained that I would be happy to receive emails from them but didn't want to waste paper and hurt the environment (they were more agreeable to my request when they learned it wasn't anything "personal" and when I gave them an alternate way to "stay connected"). If you'd like to read about my initial efforts, you can do so here:

Junk Mail
Phone Books

Today, about a year later, my mailbox is free of clutter and my doorstep hasn't been graced with a stack of phone books in months. Yay! More importantly, paper has been reduced, trees have been saved and the landfill hasn't been filled with paper from my house. Imagine if every home in America ... or the world ... could say the same. Wow!

Here are some proven methods for eliminating junk mail, catalogs and phone books:

• DirectMail.com. These are the people who send out advertising. Their philosophy is that it is expensive to send fliers, mail, etc. to people who aren't interested so they can save money by not wasting their efforts.
  

• Catalog Choice. I really like this site. When a catalog arrives, I log into this site, search for the catalog and opt out of receiving it. That's it ... real easy. As with the direct mail advertisers, many companies don't want to spend money sending out catalogs to people who don't want them. So Catalog Choice works with companies to easily offer an opt-out service. If a catalog or particular company isn't listed on their site, one can request that a catalog be included and the administrators of the site will contact the company and work with them to offer this service. Brilliant!

• Opt Out Prescreen. Did you know: Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are permitted to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you. That's why mailboxes fill up with those pesky "You are Pre-Approved" offers and why every insurance company in the world seems to think that you need their coverage. This site allows you to opt out of those kinds of offers.

• Yellow Page Goes Green. The purpose of this site is to get your name and mailing address off the delivery list. This is the site that I've had the least success with ... many phone books are just bundled up and dropped at the door. Also, there are a bunch of companies who print and deliver "phone books" in my area ... and not all of them are covered by this site. By all means, sign up on this site ... it will eliminate some books. Beyond that, whenever a book is delivered, check it for the providers name and phone number and then call them ... they'll take you off the list. Calling has worked the best for me ... I no longer get phone books.

Here's a little bonus ... while the next site doesn't save a lot of paper, it does reduce the stress of having to deal with telemarketers:

• National Do Not Call Registry. When you sign up on this site, you'll be amazed at how many telemarketer calls will be eliminated. If one should get through, ask them to place your number on the "Do Not Call" list ... which, by the way, is different from asking them to take you off their call list (which won't accomplish anything).

So ... visit a few sites, make a few calls ... eliminate paper waste. It's a good thing!

As always, I would love to hear from you!

Hydrogen Peroxide Instead of Bleach

Awhile back I gave up chlorine bleach. Yes, it cleans and disinfects ... and makes our whites whiter. But, there is some evidence that it is harmful to our health and the health of the environment. The evidence is mixed, however ... some reports say that it is totally safe and will break down into natural components when it reaches the ground or waterways. Other reports say that it is lethal to fish and pollutes our natural resources ... and is a health hazard to humans.

What I know, for sure, about using chlorine bleach is that it smells bad and gives me a headache. So, I tend to lean towards the people who say bleach is toxic. If there is even a hint of something being harmful, especially when there are alternatives, then ... I'm all for "erring on the safe side" and choosing the healthier version.

One of the healthier alternatives is hydrogen peroxide ... the cheap stuff that comes in a brown bottle and is available almost everywhere. It doesn't smell ... it doesn't hurt the environment and ... it works.

Here are some ways to clean with it:

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved hydrogen peroxide as a sanitizer. So, use it to kill germs on all surfaces (counter tops, tables, showers, etc.). It can be applied to a sponge or cleaning rag for wiping down an area ... or sprayed directly onto the surface.

• Do you use a wooden cutting board or wooden utensils? A little peroxide will kill salmonella and other harmful bacteria.

• Add one cup of peroxide to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. The trick with making this tip work is time. Peroxide takes time to work so ... add it into the wash and let it sit for awhile (I let mine soak for at least an hour). Then, add in your regular detergent and wash as usual.

• Use it to wash store-bought fruits and veggies. According to the Journal of Food and Science, peroxide is affective in killing E.coli.

• Fight mold and mildew throughout your home ... just spray peroxide onto the affected area and let it sit ... then wipe down as usual.

• Apply it to a clean rag to shine up mirrors and windows.

• Use it to mop your floors ... either add it to your bucket of water or ... pour it directly onto the floor.

A few notes about Hydrogen Peroxide:

• It is rendered useless when exposed to light (that's why it comes in those brown bottles). So, if you want to keep a spray bottle handy, be sure it is a dark spray bottle.

• It takes time to work, so spray or pour it on and then let it sit.

• Peroxide is a bleach and will whiten ... so be careful when applying it. If you're trying to get a stain out of, for example, your blue jeans and you pour peroxide directly onto the material ... you'll probably end up with a white spot. So, use caution.

• Some reports have suggested using peroxide as a mouthwash to clean and whiten teeth. It should be noted that there is some evidence suggesting that peroxide can be used in the treatment of mouth infections but that long-term use can damage tissues in the mouth. So, ask your doctor before using peroxide in this way.
  

So, there you have it! A cleaner that works ... and is kind to both humans and the environment. How good is that!!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Recycling ... by RecycleBank

This past weekend, the U.S. celebrated the 4th of July ... our Independence Day. There were all kinds of activities going on ... speeches, concerts, festivals ... all designed to renew our sense of patriotism and pride. Many of the festivities included recognition of those who serve in our military and those who volunteer their time to make our world a better place. And ... an appeal went out to all of us to do our part.

There are so many ways to "do our part". The kind people at RecycleBank offer us this one:

Recycling…as American as Apple Pie

What is patriotic? Fighting for one’s country is patriotic, flag-waving is patriotic, singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” is patriotic. Now, let’s think outside the bin (sorry, recycling humor) to something you do everyday. That’s right. Every time you reduce, reuse and recycle you’re celebrating your love for your country.

During World War II citizens were urged to recycle (or “salvage”) metal, rubber, paper and even kitchen fat to help in the war effort. Today’s soldiers don’t need recycled steel for guns, salvaged kitchen fat for explosives or scrap paper for packaging, but recycling is still patriotic.

By recycling, we show our love for our country by protecting our nation’s resources, reducing our dependence on the resources of other countries and boosting our economy.

Here’s how:

• Recycling plastic reduces the need for virgin plastic. Of course, virgin plastic isn’t a natural resource, but the petroleum used to make it is. In fact, approximately 4% of our annual oil consumption is used to make plastics. By recycling more plastic we reduce the need for the production of virgin plastic and that reduces our dependence on foreign oil.

• Manufacturing products using recycled materials instead of virgin materials requires a lot less energy. Making an aluminum can from recycled aluminum requires 95% less energy than making an aluminum can from virgin aluminum. In 2003, we reduced our oil usage by more than 15 million barrels by recycling 54 billion aluminum cans.

• Of course, oil isn’t our only source of energy. Recycling materials also reduces our need for coal—and that protects those purple mountains majesty.

• Using less energy also saves money. Saving money improves the national economy, but the recycling industry has given the national economy a real boost by creating over a million jobs. In fact, a recent report by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that jobs in conservation and pollution mitigation (including the recycling industry) make up 65% of the United States’ clean energy economy.

• Recycling reduces the amount of solid waste we need to dump in landfills, which in turn, reduces the need for landfills. By protecting our land from being “filled” with garbage, we’re helping to keep America beautiful.

• Recycling paper protects our forests by reducing the need for trees to produce paper. Recycling cars and other objects made of steel and iron reduces the amount of iron ore we must mine and recycling aluminum reduces the amount of aluminum we have to pull out of the ground.

There you have it. You love your country. You just have a different way of showing it. Now, gather your friends and family and enjoy your 4th of July barbecue. Don’t forget to grab your recycled (and recyclable) plates and your recycled American flag.


So, the next time you recycle something, feel proud ... and patriotic! Thanks to RecycleBank for this wonderful article.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!