Catalog Choice
Catalog Choice; how it works!
Since Austin Resource Recovery partnered with Catalog Choice in April, Austin residents prevented 71,000 pounds of materials from being developed into unwanted mail.
Catalog Choice is a free Zero Waste service that allows residents to opt-out of unwanted phone books, catalogs, coupons, credit card solicitations and other undesired publications. Stopping unwanted mail at the source results in a higher landfill diversion rate while reducing the amount of money the City spends on waste collection and disposal. According to Catalog Choice, at a 5 percent household participation rate, the program will generate an estimated costs savings to the City of more than $10,000 a year.
In the first five months of the partnership, over 4,400 Austinites registered for the free service, which protected 556 trees from being destroyed, stopped 200,827 pounds of greenhouse gas from reaching the atmosphere and conserved 483,561 gallons of water.
“It’s encouraging to see so many Austinites taking advantage of a free Zero Waste service like Catalog Choice,” said Austin Resource Recovery Director Bob Gedert. “By opting out of unwanted mail, residents are actively reducing their waste, saving natural resources and helping propel Austin toward a Zero Waste future.”
It is estimated that Catalog Choice will help the City of Austin shed millions of pounds of waste and thousands of dollars in costs. City of Austin residents and businesses can sign up for the mail preference service at https:austin.catalogchoice.org.
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