Green Daily

We are getting way more unsolicited mail than ever, and so much less of the pleasant stuff.

The average amount of unwanted or junk mail received annually is 560 pieces a year, or about 11 per week. Not only is this annoying, but it's a huge waste of resources. To send those 62 billion pieces of junk mail consumes more energy in production and disposal than 2.8 million cars, requires 100 million trees for the paper, and also ends up in landfills -- especially vexing for the 44 percent that remains unopened! And besides all that, time (yours) is expended when you would've been happy doing else. Not to mention that, if you do fall prey to the lures, money (yours) is lost when you woud have been just as happy spending it otherwise.

There's something -- well, things -- you can do about this (hallelujah). For a $1 fee, you can remove your name from the Direct Marketing Association list. Also, you can remove your name from credit card and insurance mailings by "opting out." And you can contact retailers and mailers directly to have your name removed from catalog and contest lists -- although if you make a purchase, your name usually is returned to the list so you may have to make repeated requests. When buying or subscribing online, check the box that keeps your name off address lists. If no such box exists, you may have to call to make this request. Finally, there are services that will contact the direct mailers on your behalf (for a fee).