This is a website that challenges people to make a pledge to take specific carbon-cutting actions each month. They then calculate the carbon-cutting impact that the pledgers have cumulatively.

 

So for instance, in July, they asked people to eat local food, resulting in over 9000 pledges and over 11,000 pounds of carbon cut. In August, they asked people to pledge to have one "car free" day a week for the month, and with nearly 10,000 people making the pledge, the carbon reduction was over 1.4 million pounds!

 

In September, they are asking people to sign up to reduce the amount of junk mail they receive. So, take the pledge- as they say, big changes start with small steps!

Taking the pledge will lead you to the "Opt-Out website which allows you to print off letters that you then mail to the most prolific list-sellers.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to make a confession. In my work life, I have been responsible for actually generating some amount of "junk mail." I work for a non-profit organization that receives its support from members. Thus, we are always looking for ways to get the word out to more people who might then join. Well, on several occasions, we have purchased lists from direct mail houses - and done mass mailings. Sigh.

Maybe I'll have to figure out some way to offset the carbon footprint of those mailings...?