Thanks Julian; great info. Also, you can contact senders of catalogs directly and either have your name removed from their mailing lists or, in many cases, have your mailing schedule customized. For example, I used to get 12 catalogs/year from Lands End. Now, I receive only 2 (Spring, Fall). LLBean? Now, only the FlyFishing catalog. Vermont Country Store? Spring, Fall. Give a call to your catalog senders and set up a mailing plan that works for you and for the environment. They are happy to work with you (since it also reduces their costs).
By all means, contact the Direct Marketing Association and have your name added to the block list. They have separate lists for mail (i.e., "snail mail"), email, and telephone. I recommend all three. From: "Julian Sellers" <[email protected]> To: "MOU-NET" <[email protected]> Subject: [mou] Reducing Paper Consumption Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:21:27 -0600 Following up on Shawn Conrad's message, the following facts are mostly from web pages of Environmental Defense and the Natural Resources Defense Council. I can send a version with footnotes and links to the web pages to anyone who would like to have it. a.. Less than 8 percent of Canada's boreal forest is protected. The United States is the destination for nearly 80 percent of Canada's forest products, including lumber, toilet paper, catalog paper and newsprint. b.. In 2001, nearly 17 billion catalogs were sent to consumers in the U.S. c.. One-third of logging in the U.S. is for paper. d.. In the southeastern U.S., 1.2 million acres of forest are clearcut for paper every year. e.. For the manufacture of paper, mature, biodiverse forests are clearcut and replaced with biologically impoverished pine plantations or left to regenerate with shade-intolerant species. f.. Paper manufacturing is a major source of mercury, lead, and dioxin pollution, and is the largest consumer of freshwater on earth. g.. Paper manufacturing is the third largest source in the U.S. of greenhouse gases, and the amount of greenhouse gas produced is expected to double by 2020. h.. When paper decomposes in a landfill, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas with 21 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide. Some things you can do to reduce paper consumption and logging for paper: a.. Get off the mailing lists for catalogs and other direct marketing solicitations. See http://www.eurekarecycling.org/PDFS/Reduce_Junk_Mail_Kit.pdf for instructions and phone numbers to call to get off of mailing lists. Those who don't have internet access can call Eureka at 651-222-7678, and ask them to send a junk mail reduction kit. b.. Recycle all of your paper and cardboard. If you live in St. Paul, you have weekly curb-side pickup by Eureka Recycling. Call Eureka or check eurekarecycling.org to find out your pick-up day. If you don't live in St. Paul, check with your local government for recycling opportunities. c.. Use products made from recycled paper, preferably 100% post-consumer recycled. The products are available-everything from office paper to paper towels, Kleenex-type tissues, and toilet paper. Julian Sellers St. Paul
