There are so many ways to REDUCE in our lives! From shopping to energy usage in our homes to energy usage in our cars. The opportunities to reduce go on and on. Today, let’s focus on two of the four really BIG ways to reduce that take very LITTLE effort from us. It’s a matter of phone calls, emails, letter writing, along with mindful shopping and traveling! Here are the first two Bellisima Goddess Primary Principles for Reduction:
PRINCIPLE #1: NEITHER PAPER NOR PLASTIC BAGS!
Plastic bags are made with petroleum and natural gas–two of our limited natural resources–and paper bags are made from tree pulp–a renewable natural resource, but one whose demands far outweigh current growth. While I could go on here about the many reasons to say no to both paper and plastic bags, I’ll keep the justification for this principle to the primary one: when we use plastic or paper, we are contributing to the further depletion of these natural resources. Henceforth, live by the acronym BYOB–Bring Your Own Bag. Most supermarkets, if not all at this point, are offering reusable bags–many of which are made out of post-consumer materials. You may have to pay for them but then the stores usually give you a “bag credit” every time you use them. Also, during this month of April, many stores are giving away bags to promote Earth Day. In addition to using your bags at the grocery store, remember to keep them on hand when shopping at the mall. As much as we might like to receive those lovely bags from our favorite boutique or department store, we’re letting everyone see that it’s even more chic to BYOB. If you want to put in the time and effort, you can create your own “designer” fabric bag to carry with you. So, next time you take off to do some shopping, make sure to remember your bags!
PRINCIPLE #2: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR MAIL!
When it comes to waste in the United States, paper is at the top of the list! According to the Environmental Protection Agency, paper and paperboard account for over 35 percent of the waste materials discarded in our country. One of the biggest offenders of paper waste is MAIL. The EPA estimates that out of the 5.5 million tons of mail shipped, over 4 million of it ends up in the garbage–it’s not even being recycled!! By taking charge of our mailboxes, we can lower our contribution to these astronomical numbers. Here are the main ways to take charge:
*Stop credit card solicitations (nearly three billion are mailed annually) by visiting www.optoutprescreen.com. Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax–the country’s three major credit-checking agencies–have united to create an official service where consumers can choose to be removed from credit and insurance solicitations. The form asks for your Social Security number, but you can skip that line if you prefer. Your form will be accepted without that information. A confirmation request immediately appears onscreen. Choose to save it on your computer instead of printing it out–another way to reduce paper consumption! (NOTE: The 5-year opt-out allows you to complete the process electronically. If you wish to do a permanent opt-out, you do need to print out the completed form and mail it in.)
*ADVO, Inc. is a leading circular distribution company whose primary purpose is to link retailers to potential customers. Although their aim is to service retailers, they also encourage consumers who do not want to receive such mailings to contact them at 1-888-241-6760 where you can decline to receive mailings. You’ll be connected to an operator who will inform you that it takes 5-6 weeks to be removed from all lists. Simple and easy–the phone call takes less than 2 minutes! You can support Mother Earth even more by declining a mailed confirmation card–remember, every piece of saved paper counts!
*If you receive ValPak Savings envelopes that you never use, choose to save the paper instead by visiting www.coxtarget.com and removing yourself from their recipient list. Follow the link to the Contact Us page and click on the mailing list removal form. Fill in the information EXACTLY as it appears on your mailer and submit it. You will be asked to include your email address so that ValPak may confirm your removal request.
*Remove yourself from catalog and other direct-mailing lists by writing to Mail Preference Service, c/o The DMA, P. O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008. Include in your request your name as it appears on catalogs. Again, it can take up to 6 weeks for your request to catch up with a company’s mailing schedule. If you still want certain catalogs, contact the particular store or company directly and ask that, in addition to sending you a catalog, they not share your information with anyone. Better yet, bookmark their online site and order from a paperless catalog!!
Good luck with your reduction efforts! As you’ll soon discover, each of these steps takes very little effort or time, but will leave you with a BIG sense of accomplishment! Use your intuition today to see what other actions you and your family might take to further your efforts to REDUCE.
Tomorrow…the last two Bellisima Goddess Primary Principles for Reduction! Have a bellisima day!
