How you can stop junk mail and save trees

I did a post a few weeks ago on how to stop junk mail (after you click, scroll down) and since then, I have been taking the advice of 41pounds.org on ways to reduce my carbon footprint and stop the gastly inconvenience of junk mail.

I wanted to share some information that I didn't know until I had the help of 41pounds and wanted to pass along the wisdom....

#1. We have rights - we can stop junk mail. We just have to contact all the companies that send us junk mail and ask them to stop, or better yet, get companies like 41pounds to help you with the contacting (they make it really easy!)

#2. If you move, ask for a mail forwarding form NOT a change of address, as the post office sells your new address information (I feel so slimy thinking about that!) but really good to know huh?

#3. Supermarket club cards are an instant way to poof out that mailbox, they track our habits not to give us great savings (ok, maybe that's some of it) but they use it to market and cram our mailboxe full of landfill crap. No club cards anymore conscious spenders!

#4. When you donate, you have to request that they do not sell, share or rent your information as they most likely will.

Help save the planet, be mindful when you spend and know that as a conscious customer you have choices and there are great services to help stop junk mail

Stop Junk Mail - Help the Planet

I was at the post office today picking up my mail and I was abhorred by the poundage of junk mail discarded by the mail picker-uppers. As much as I wanted to have warm fuzzies that lots of the crap solicitation garbagio was going to recycled, I could not stop my level of growing infuriation (in public) that the stinking junk mail was delivered to all our mailboxes the first place.

I managed to not loose it in front of the other mail-gatherers and got into my car and remembered that change starts with me...so, what's a conscious consumer to do? The obvious answer was to take steps to stop the junk mail in the first place.

Being the conscious consuming nerd that I am, I started my research of companies that help stop junk mail. Some sites show you how to stop junk mail on your own but being a busy person, I realized quickly that I wanted to engage the help of a third party to do the heavy-lifting for me.

After comparing several stop junk mail sites, I found www.41pounds.org. Not only do they contact tons of direct marketing folks to stop your junk mail, they are an official carbon-free organization. 41pounds serves to stop junk mail and the service fee covers five years AND they donate more than a third of the fee to non profit organizations. Way coolio.

I had a wave of conscious consumer giddiness after I signed up. Here's to stopping junk mail and making a difference!