More than 100 Trillion pieces of Junk Mail (an average of almost A Thousand Pieces per Household) are sent per year. Junk Mail consumes more than 6.5 million tons of paper (or 100 million trees) annually per year, and the average American will waste 8 months of their lives having to deal with it.

89% of Americans would like to not receive junk mail, and 44% never even open it. Despite this, the United States Postal Service has, through intense lobbying, squashed the numerous attempts to allow Americans to “Opt Out” of receiving junk mail. Since 2007, none of the 19 States that have suggested “Do Not Mail” legislation has been able to pass a law protecting Americans against Junk Mail.

Why is the Post Office opposed to “Do Not Mail” legislation? Because junk mail is Americans’ problem, not the United States Postal Service’s. In fact, Junk Mail makes up more than 50 percent of the mail they deliver and earns them more than 30 Million Dollars a year. In short, Junk Mail is the United States Postal Service’s Cash Cow

Here is a simple, 2 step solution to the problem of Junk Mail that involves only a black marker:

Step 1) When you get junk mail, write RETURN TO SENDER in big letters across the top.

Step 2) Postal Workers hate having to return junk mail, and they will make every attempt to re-deliver it to you. Thwart their attempts to re-deliver it to you by crossing out your address with a black marker and placing your junk mail in a blue mailbox.

As your junk mail is now undeliverable to everybody except the people who sent it to you, The United States Postal Service will have no legal option but to either properly dispose of your junk mail for you or return it to the sender at their own expense.

This solution to the Junk Mail makes the Postal Service earn its 30 Million Dollars and makes Junk Mail their problem, not ours.