10 Creative Ways To Reuse Your Junk Mail

100 billion pieces of junk mail are sent annually, which accounts for one-third of all United States mail. According to Treehugger, Americans spend over 8 months opening junk mail. It takes 100 million trees and countless greenhouse emissions to produce junk mail.

ProQuo featured clever ways to reuse junk mail in response to the constant postal ambush. While some made art, other recipients responded to the barrage by sending response packages filled with bricks or by adorning their mailboxes with "No Junk Mail" signs.

Citizen artists have found interesting uses for the wasted paper.

Self-portrait
A self-proclaimed "rabid recycler," Arizona artist Sandy Schimmel uses unwanted materials, such as junk mail, to create impressionistic portraits. Her portraits focus on individual faces and explore themes such as beauty and fashion.

Furniture
Why throw away junk mail when you can sit on it? Although this probably wasn't part of UK artist Chrissie MacDonald's thought process, she recently created a chair from all the shopping catalogues in her mailbox.

Huffington Post blogger Olivia Zaleski offers 3 easy tips to stop junk mail delivery.

Global warming aside, I'm getting sick of sorting through piles of useless coupons, credit card offers and sweepstakes. The catalogs are the worst--can someone please tell me why I receive catalogs for Male Big & Tall, Omni Cheer, and UPCO Bird? I am neither plus-size male, nor cheerleader, nor exercise equipment enthusiast.

Fed up, I've embarked on a quest to get these hawkers off my back. Join me by following these 3 steps. It'll take you less than seven minutes (I've timed my friends and family) and you'll feel good for saving the trees.

Related:
::Opt out of junk mail delivery to your home.
::Read about the junk mail marketers effort to go green on the Huffington Post.
::Read more at the Huffington Post Green Living big news page.

Comments

[politiclycorrect]

well this is sorta helpful i mean its not the best article in the world bout junk mail but i guess it helps

[ilovemydoggy]

Chop junk mail into cornflake-like pieces. Then convert into biomass slurry - dry into briquettes for heating next winter. Honest - it is possible.

Baby boomer perspectives: http://www.Vaboomer.com

[mamacat]

We could save a lot of trees if we outlawed junk mail.

[maestra1985]

I use the envelopes and paper (if it's one side printed) as note paper and as paper for grocery lists.

[PDXTransplant]

I went paperless on all my bills, which you can do on-line for most companies - I have stopped all junk mail and what I do receive goes into a bag and I bring all my paper to work to be shredded. I cannot believe the difference in the volume of paper. It takes me a couple of months or so just to get one 30 gal. bag full.

[TheSecularist]

I used to used the prepaid envelopes to send junk back to sender, never thought of sending bricks. I like the brick idea.

[AThingofBeauty]

My junk mail gets shredded and then is used in the rabbit cage. After it has served it's purpose there, it goes into the compost. The offers for credit cards are returned with a blank application at the expense of the sender. I want to keep the post office in business. Another good use for those newspaper type flyers; they are a wonderful weed barrier in the garden. I consider myself the queen of recyling.

[JScott]

First off, don't even open it, mine goes into the recycle bin, it doesn't even get into the house.

[Triangle1]

The flip side of junk mail is that it works for businesses. It gets people in the door, sells products, and allows people to be employed. I work in advertising and the "junkmail" I create has saved business from going OUT of business. They now prosper and make a good living. Just recycle the junkmail and understand it does have a purpose. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[macintoshsauce]

Stick your junk mail where the sun doesn't shine.

[Jain]

Not true - the only people who are "employed" are the ones sending the junk mail. You are just trying to justify your lame job...