Overbrook Grantees Join National Campaign to Save 1 Million Pounds of Paper by Earth Day

Two Overbrook environment grantees, Catalog Choice and Environmental Paper Network, have teamed with Manilla, a free online and mobile service to manage bills, for the 2012 Paper Diet - a campaign to help consumers and businesses reduce their use of paper. The campaign's goal is for Americans to "lose" more than 1 million pounds of paper, while saving 13,000 trees, by Earth Day (April 22).

Just by opting out of unwanted catalogs and other advertising mail, Americans can lose half their paper weight. Other ways to lose include going paperless with direct mail, bills, and account statements. Catalog Choice, a service that helps people suppress unwanted catalogs, direct mail, and phonebooks, is a great tool to help in the challenge.

Consumers and businesses interested in taking the 2012 Paper Diet can pledge via Facebook by posting a digital badge on their page and by stopping their unwanted paper mail. The dieter who loses the most paper weight will receive a Paperless Toolbox, which includes an iPad, an iPad pen, a Kindle, Paperless Post stamps, and a shredder.