Stop Junk Mail. Be Eco Friendly. Do Good. The GreenDimes Blog

Dropping the Ball...

Goodbye, 2007. Au revoir. Adios. Ciao. Sayonara.

Yep, I have done my share of 'dropping the ball' this year. Enough of it, actually, to go around (and around and around). But I have learned from it, to be certain. Oh man, have I learned. As I'm sitting here reflecting back on the last year, it wasn't so bad, all that learning. Not bad at all...

But enough about me, let's talk about more important ball-dropping. Tonight, while we sip champagne and watch the ball drop in New York City's Times Square at midnight, there is going to be something note-worthy, somthing green going on...

On its 100th anniversary, the Times Square ball has been fitted with energy-saving light bulbs. I think someone on their crew has been reading our blog. Just a hunch.

Thanks for the tip, JBoogie and Happy 2008 to all!

-Kendra

New Years Resolution Still Not Finished 11 Years Later

11 years ago, this man resolved to go around the world using only human power.   Talk about resolutions, he's still at it.   Here at GreenDimes, we look for easy green things a person can do that'll make a big difference, but our hats off to this guy, the statement he is making, and his odyssey. 

Happy New Years wherever you are. -Sanjiv

The Government Reports on the Government

This letter came from the GAO.  Need we say more? - Sanjiv

United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548

December 20, 2007

Congressional Requesters

Subject:

Postal Service and Mailing Industry Mail-Related Recycling: Accomplishments and Postal Opportunities—Interim Results

In fiscal year 2006, the United States Postal Service (USPS) was responsible for discarding about 6.1 billion pieces of undeliverable-as-addressed Standard Mail (a class of bulk advertising mail that includes catalogs and circulars).¹ Some of this mail was recycled, but a large quantity of it was treated as waste and simply thrown away. Standard Mail is increasing in prominence due, in part, to its importance to businesses, nonprofits, and others as an effective way for (1) providing consumers with information on their products and services and (2) soliciting contributions from mail recipients.² Some mail recipients, however, view Standard Mail as an annoyance that also poses privacy and environmental concerns. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Standard Mail accounted for about 5.8 million tons, or 2.4 percent, of municipal solid waste (otherwise known as trash or garbage) in 2005. Of this amount, 64 percent was placed in a landfill or incinerated, and 36 percent was recycled.

The 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act required GAO to report—by December 20, 2007—on, among other matters, USPS mail-related recycling accomplishments and additional recycling opportunities.³ For mail-related recycling accomplishments (initiatives), we expanded our work to include the mailing industry and other stakeholders, as appropriate.

Get your Green Resolutions in One Place

Easy Green Resolutions

So what's the top 5 easy green things you can do? 

I resolve to (not in any order):

1. Use reusuabe bags more instead of using plastic. (saves landfill space)

2. Switch to energy-efficient lightbulbs. (saves energy)

3. Get rid of my junk mail. (saves trees)

4. Properly inflate my tires (saves on gas)

5. Manage your thermostat (saves energy)

Now we can't help with 4 and 5, but you can grab 1,2 & 3 all in one spot - our Green Me pack, and we'll throw in a American Apparel Tee.

Enjoy resolving,

-Sanjiv

Some Sleighings Of Unwanted Holiday Catalogs

GreenDimes Services

Marissa Tomei’s Testimonial.  A Testimonials Blog Post? Get It?  Neither Do I.

First off, someone’s gotta tell me why there wasn’t a pic on the web with Santa on trial from Miracle on 34^th St that I could use.  I digress.   Here are some great holiday testimonials from some Great GreenDimers... 

Checking your junk mail list twice,

-Sanjiv

I must say I am so very pleased with your service.  It has been a wonderful holiday season  - because when I return from the mailbox I am not straining my back carrying all the catalogs that seem to reproduce exponentially as Christmas Day gets closer.  Honestly, last year I received anywhere from 5 to 12 catalogs A DAY between October and January.  This year, I think I got a grand TOTAL of about 12.  Awesome job, guys!  Keep it up!

Thanks again,

Kathryn

[Above: wow]

[Below: actual customer font size]

Thank you so much for reducing my holiday mail to almost nothing but the personal stuff!!!

Ellen
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Looking Towards the New Year

Hi, this is Jeff, the product manager for GreenDimes. After being at GreenDimes for almost two months, I thought it would be about time to do my first blog posting. As product manager, I get to work with everyone from our existing and potential members, as well as internal staff including marketing engineering, customer service, and operations in defining how the GreenDimes site works. My goal is to make reducing the amount of junk mail you receive as simple and easy as possible, which isn’t easy given all the roadblocks put up by direct marketers!

Next week, we’ve got some exciting things happening including a new GreenDimes site which will include:

·         A cleaner user interface (and a new logo!) and a streamlined purchase and gift redemption process

·         A new and improved catalog screener making it easier than ever to search and select catalogs and mailers that you’d like to stop receiving

·         In January, members will be receiving their first ever GreenDimes “report card” detailing all the hard work we’ve done for you including what junk mail we’ve stopped and the environmental impact you’ve made as a member

Here are some other exciting things to look forward to in early 2008:

·         A new Refresh Me! Service for those members who have moved or see that they’ve been put back on to the major junk mail lists

·         Easy ways to spread the word about GreenDimes service and planting trees all over the net

·         A community blog that will allow members to voice their thoughts and opinions on causes that they support and would like to see GreenDimes support in the future, thoughts and lessons learned from eliminating junk mail, and feedback about GreenDimes in general

·         Refining our dozen or so activities to maximize your removal from catalogs and direct mail lists

We’re always looking for ways to improve and simplify our service, so please drop me an email if you have any ideas on making GreenDimes better for our members or if you have ideas on little things we all can do that can have a huge impact on the world.

I hope everyone has a great holiday and a prosperous new year!

Jeff

jeff@greendimes.com

Word of the Year: Localvore

I am trying my best to be one. It is not always easy, but a worthwhile adventure to be certain. Ah, to be a localvore...

Coined the New Oxford American Dictionary 2007 Word of the Year, the word localvore is defined as, "a person who endeavors to eat only locally produced food." I would suppose this is slightly easier here in Nor Cal than, say, Minnesota in January... but we should all do what we can.

The concept is simple- eat food that is grown/ produced within 100 miles of your home- a sharp decrease in mileage from the average 1,500 miles- farm to plate- most produce travels in the US.

The word beat out others like 'cougar' (an older woman who romantically pursues younger men) and 'tase' (to stun with a taser) for the title. I like the word cougar a lot. But for all intents and purposes here, localvore is the clear winner.

Your dictionary diva,

Kendra

A Worthwhile Top 10 List...

Yes, it's that time of year. As 2007 comes to a close, we will hear a lot about the top 10 this, top 10 that, top 10 celebrity disasters, and on and on...

But this is the list to check out. It's refreshing, it's inspiring and it's written by 2nd graders. In their infinite wisdom, they have made top 10 lists of kind things to do this holiday season. Here's a good one:

Virginia Kidd, 8, made a list that takes on behavior, and includes nice things that everyone should consider during the holiday season and all year long.

This is Virginia's list:

10. Ignore people who are mean.
9. Act respectful.
8. Don't sass back. (um, Sanj?)
7. Be kind.
6. Hold the door.
5. Do chores.
4. Sing to my parents.
3. Make breakfast.
2. Give a hug.

And Virginia's No. 1 suggestion of nice things to do:

1. Give a kiss.

Well, the only thing I would add is obvious: stop your junk mail. Oh yeah, and buy a TONIC Tee to support amazing causes. But that's already on your list, right?

Off giving kisses,

Kendra

Source: www.dailygood.org- check it out and sign up for a daily email reminding you of some good going on in the world...

Rebate & Switch - Why you should Redeem

GreenDimes Services

We were very excited by the record number of gifts bought from us this year.  Now, we need people to redeem. 

Weird request, right?  Normally, companies do things like offer mail-in rebates knowing full well that only 10-30% redeem (according to PC Data).  You won’t find that at GreenDimes.  Sure the redeemer's membership will costs us, and yes, we are a for-profit company.  But we want to earn our revenue, and start saving people’s time and trees.

Remember, each redemption plants 10 trees and starts saving more trees as we stop their junk mail.  We know, people are busy.  My Barnes & Noble Gift Card is still stuck in the back of the glove compartment…from 2006. 

Your call of course, but I think a friendly e-mail reminder from you in a couple weeks would suffice.

-Sanjiv

How One Man is Cleaning Up Our Rivers, 3.5 Million Lbs at a Time

GreenDimes One Person, Big Difference Series

In 1997, Chad started Living Lands and Waters where a bunch of full-timers go out and clean the Mississippi river.  Here are some of the biggies (and interesting ones) just in a year!

30,000 bags of trash

22,000 Tires

615 refrigerators

33 messages in bottles (now that’s not trash, is it?)

18 tractors

7 football fields of Styrofoam

3 school bus tops

1 jet ski (figured there be more)

What’s cool is that Chad says he sees less and less trash every year over the past 10 years, so the program is working.  Btw, if you jump on their site, there's a more in-depth video from CBS.

Thanks Chad,

Sanjiv