by E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow Greg Walcher
As appearing in the Daily Sentinel
I have a friend who saved all his junk mail for a year, so he could weigh it. He was convinced that he received more unsolicited mail than anybody, and wanted to prove it. The pile weighed over 40 pounds. Imagine his disappointment when he found out it was no more than average.
Indeed, Americans receive an average of 41 pounds of junk mail every year. That is over 5.5 million tons of paper, most of which ends up in landfills. One environmental organization claims junk mail contributes as much carbon to the atmosphere as seven states.
I know how to fix the problem, and in the process, solve most of what’s wrong with the Postal Service. It’s not complicated – it’s the price of junk mail.
