Day 109 of our Green Year: Curse That Junk Mail!

A few months ago, Layla and I signed up to limit the amount of junk mail that we get and it has actually made a nice dent in the amount we receive on a weekly basis. Of course we no longer hear about the 'Super Amazing Deals!' that are on in our area but some how we will just have to survive.

However, even with our junk mail reduction, some still makes it through and we don't think there is a way to stop these bits of junk mail. These items include:

1. A local newspaper that we don't really read.
2. Updates from local politicians who tout being friends of the environment while sending out 20,000 newsletters.
3. City notices.
4. Other little flyers sent out by businesses in the area.

We don't want to throw these items out and with our motto Re-use then Recycle, we want to use the paper for something before we go and recycle it. Recently, we found these ideas on the internet.

1. We can make little paper trees that will be put up in our house to help accentuate the real trees that we have. To make them you just do the following using junk mail, bristol paper, glue, scissors and a cutting surface. Adhere the bristol paper to the junk mail to make it nice and firm, then draw trees on the bristol paper, and then make perpendicular cuts to the base of each tree. Half the trees that should go up three-quarters up them, and the other half should go one-quarter down. Then erase any pencil marks and cut them out. After that, slide the two different pieces so they lock into place and you have some great trees.
2. Since we only really get paper and not glossy paper in the mail anymore, we can shred what we have and use it for mulch in the garden or our indoor plants. We just can't use colored paper for it.
3. We also make paper out of the junk mail paper. It is hard to write on something that is covered with words, so we need it to be clear. To do this, we rip the junk mail into very small pieces using your hands. After this, put the junk mail pieces in the blender with some water. the ratio should be 3:1 in favor of junk mail. Adding less water gives thicker paper. Then you pour the mixture on a window screen and let it drain completely. Put the mixture onto a towel and let it get completely dry. Then you can use your new, and recycled, paper.

That is all there is to dealing with the junk mail that seems to get through.

Day 44 of our Green Year: Enough Of The Junk

We all get it, sometimes every single day, and we all hate it. Junk mail is the bane of our existence, advertising at its worst and not surprisingly, it is harmful to the environment. All those flyers, booklets and more that we get, result in pollution and lost trees. Why? So that we can think about buying a computer we see is on sale? Why not just look on the internet if you want a computer?

Each year, Americans receive about four million tons of junk mail, and if the energy to make a day's worth of junk mail were used to heat homes, it would heat 250,000 homes. When you think of the millions of trees that are cut down, simply so we can be advertised to, it is deplorable. This is especially the case when advertisers shoot for only a two percent success rate on junk mail (someone buying from something they see in the junk mail).

Some places, like our own post office, has a recycle bin for junk mail, and recycling it is a great idea, but what about eliminating it at the source?
In the United States you have GreenDimes.com, but as of yet I can't seem to find if it is available for Canada. No problem, there is already a Canadian solution!

The Red Dot Campaign is a Canadian initiative that deals with junk mail through effective measures, it also helps get rid of mail not addressed to you, like pamphlets from politicians.
First, go and download the form letter at RedDotCampaign.ca, which is addressed to the Canada Post Consumers Choice Program. Fill it out and give it to your letter carrier or mail it to them yourself.
Next, download the "No Junk Mail" notice and put it up in your mail box to say "I don't want it!"
Lastly, get yourself removed from any marketing lists by going to the Canadian Marketing Association and signing up for the "Do Not Contact" service on this site: http://www.the-cma.org/?WCE=C=47%7CK=224217

This won't prevent all of it, but it will get rid of the vast majority, and that is what Layla and I have done for Our Green Year. No more wasting trees for junk mail with us, hopefully everyone else can do the same.

Thank you to one of our readers, Mindy, who sent us some photos of her son Colin going green. These pictures are also in our photo gallery. If you want to send us photos of you doing green things, send us the photos to crwbaird@gmail.com