Some people think that direct mail is a complete waste of our natural resources and causes the destruction our forest and many other natural resources.
But this is not the case, here are some numbers you may find interesting.
Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.
Last year, more than 70% of Americans shopped direct. More than 80% of U.S. households read some or all of their advertising mail. And non-profit organizations raised nearly $200 billion from generous donors through direct mail.
GREEN FACTS ABOUT DIRECT MAIL
