Last week I opened up my mailbox and was surprised to find a harbinger of the upcoming Christmas season, my first Christmas catalog of 2009.

This first catalog arrived the week of August 17, before school started, before Labor Day, Halloween, or Thanksgiving.  By Christmas Eve I will have a big stack of catalogs.  What a waste!

Oh, the catalog is filled with 200 pages of stuff, tchatchkes, gift items of every kind for yourself or anyone on your gift list... men's stuff, women's stuff, kid's stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  Silly stuff, cute stuff, useful stuff, tacky stuff. 

I don't like getting these catalogs in the mail because I think they are a huge waste of paper and postage and most likely I won't order anything, anyway.  If someone requests a catalog, that is fine but don't send them out unrequsted to every address in America. 


Here are some interesting statistics on catalog waste I found at www.MelissaData.com :

•Over eight million tons of trees are consumed each year in the production of paper catalogs.

•Nearly half of the planet's original forest cover is gone today. Forests have effectively disappeared in 25 countries, and another 29 have lost more than 90% of their forest cover.

•More than one billion people living in extreme poverty around the world depend on forests for their livelihoods.

•There are other significant environmental impacts from the catalog cycle. The production and disposal of direct mail alone consumes more energy than three million cars.

•The manufacturing, distribution, collection and disposal of catalogs requires energy which will generate "global warming gases" if you believe in the current global warming thing. (Personally, I don't know if global warming is caused by humans, sun flares, or some other natural earthly cycle.)

How about you?  Do you order from holiday catalogs?

Disclaimer: Since I am not a political person, this is not a political post.  I am neither a liberal nor a conservative.  I just don't like waste. 

 

 

 

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18 Comments on What's this in my mailbox already?!

AUG
24
2009

The volume of junk mail we all receive is so wasteful. I put every scrap of paper into recycling even though like you I would rather not receive it to begin with. It takes time to request being taken off mailing lists and request "do not sell or share my address" but it is worth it. Nope, don't order from catalogs.
5:20pm • #1
1,379,081 Points 7 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Howdt there Shirley

I for one do not place orders out of holiday catalogs. Maybe one day soon folks of Mother Earth will come to know. That they need to show and give her respect and love.

Baker Home Inspection and Consulting AR Signature
5:40pm • #2
250,197 Points 3 Featured Posts

What a waste! And so early, too. Another good reason not to order from catalogs!

Debi
7:08pm • #3
Outside Blog

Shirley - I do not order from catalogs but do a lot of ordering online.  I can not understand why these companies waste money sending out the catalogs.
8:11pm • #4
238,110 Points 1 Featured Post Attended Rain Camp

When I receive these catalogs I call the company and have them remove me from their mailing list.  If I order from one magazine then sister companies start sending me their catalogs too.  I like to recycle them after I cancel them.
8:28pm • #5
512,629 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Sara, We recycle everything, too.

HI Dale, It is just so wasteful and unnecessary.

Hi Debi, Plus you never can be sure of the quality.

Hi Sharon, I order online, too.  eBay, Half.com, 1800Flowers, and other stores.

Hi Angelia,  Maybe this year I will call them all and request to be removed from their mailing list.
8:52pm • #6
471,280 Points 26 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Called Shot Master

Hi Shirley, I do not usually shop from catalogs - and I certainly do not think I should receive all that junk, including catalogs that I have to haul back to the trash or the recycle bin.  Can we recycle that slick colored paper now? Did I miss the memo, I thought it wasn't recyclable!?
9:29pm • #7
937,923 Points 51 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Shirley - It seems holiday catalogues are coming earlier and earlier each year.  It was either last week or the week before, that I received a catalogue so that I could order Christmas/holiday cards, and/or calendars for 2010.  Pretty amazing!
9:35pm • #8
655,247 Points 29 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Shirely, I tend to let my fingers do my ordering online.  I get the catalogs thumb through and file them in File 13.  I agree it is a big waste.  I do have to admit though several years ago thumbing through I spotted a kitchen table that I liked and did end up ordering it online but that was a rarity.  As I said I did end up ordering it online; I didn't use the catlog order form. 
9:52pm • #9
512,629 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Mary, My husband heads up our recycling efforts.  I'll ask him about that.

Hi Myrl, It is pretty amazing.  I don't see how they can justify the cost of producing these catalogs if a lot of people don't order from them.
9:53pm • #10
842,602 Points 85 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Grosssssssssssssssssssssss.  Too early for that stuff for me.  I like the meaning of Christmas....not the purchases, you know???
10:35pm • #11
459,700 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp

Phone books are a huge gigantic waste also. It takes a tree or two to make a Houston, San Antonio, or Dallas book. And so many end up on the door steps of vacant homes.
11:08pm • #12
425,063 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog

I have to say that within the last few years we have been receiving less and less catalogs - which is good, maybe because we have not ordered anything for years. It's basically all online shopping or out in the real world- LOL. ~Rita
11:29pm • #13
AUG
25
2009
563,876 Points 17 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Shirley - I haven't figured out how to get off of paper catalog distribution from several companies. It seems like almost everytime that I order something online, I get on their paper catalog mailing list. On another note, I saw Halloween candy already on display in a store last week. Yuuckkk.
12:55pm • #14
512,629 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Mary,  Here is what my hubby sent me: This is the San Antonio guidelines for recycle.

Paper: Most types of paper, such as ad circulars, catalogs, carbonless paper, dry goods packaging with liners removed (example: cereal, pasta, rice, beer/soda cartons) envelopes, file folders, flattened cardboard, junk mail, magazines, newspapers, office paper, paperback books, paper bags, paper towel/toilet paper cores, phone books, non-metallic gift wrap.

Plastics: Labeled #1 through #7 (no styrofoam). Look for the recycling symbol   on the bottom. Remove lids and rinse any remaining food or liquids from containers or trays. Examples include: beverage bottle, shampoo and lotion bottles, meat trays, condiment bottles, prescription and medicine bottles. Please do not place recyclable items in plastic bags. We do not take plastic bags

Glass Bottles and Jars All Colors: Remove lids and rinse all food, and liquids. Examples: beverage bottles, food and condiment bottles and jars (jelly, mustard, mayonnaise).

Metal Cans: Aluminum, steel and tin beverage and food cans, rinse all food or liquids, aerosol cans, empty and remove nozzle, baking tins, rinse and remove remaining food.
6:02pm • #15
471,280 Points 26 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Called Shot Master

Shirley thank you so much!  I honestly thought those glossy catalogs were not recyclable- now I know I can put them in the other bin. I learn something new everyday!
8:16pm • #16
AUG
26
2009
1,929,886 Points 155 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

In college I worked for one of these catalog companies and they don't mail them to everyone. They mail them to people who have ordered from them or to people who got a gift from one. (I'm guessing some time in the last two years you got a gift from one of their catalogs or a sister catalog)

Todd Clark - www.LivingBeaverton.com
1:58am • #17
630,902 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I agree it is a waste. They would be better off to spend advertising money on internet advertising. However, we need to be reminded some folks still don't have computers and I would say a few still like to order from the catalogue but let that person subscribe and don't send one out to everyone.
7:39pm • #18

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Shirley Parks Broker 210-414-0966 San Antonio TX Homes for Sale

San Antonio, TX

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Sands Realty 210-414-0966

Address: San Antonio, TX

Office Phone: (210) 414-0966

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Sands Realty is a San Antonio-based independent residential real estate company committed to excellent service and exacting standards of honesty and integrity in conducting business. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We serve all areas of San Antonio, including Alamo Heights, Alamo Ranch, Boerne, Bulverde, Castle Hills, Champions, Cibolo, Converse, Deerfield, The Dominion, Encino Park, Fair Oaks Ranch, Garden Ridge, Helotes, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park, Inwood, Leon Springs, Monte Vista, Northwest San Antonio, North Central San Antonio, Northwood, Olmos Park, Rogers Ranch, Schertz, Shavano Creek, Shavano Park, Sonterra, Stone Oak, Terrell Hills, Universal City, Ft. Sam Houston, and Randolph AFB. We proudly assist clients in every price range throughout the greater San Antonio metropolitan area as well as across the nation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Through our real estate web site, www.shirleyparks.com, you have the ability to search virtually every home for sale in the San Antonio area.


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