The Overlooked Green Point
Paul Gay
October 19, 2007
We keep hearing about global warming and the simple things we can do to help slow it down. Well let’s add “Post Office Boxes” to the list. As a former postal employee, I was always amazed at the number of people who diligently drive all the way to the post office, six days a week, just to get their mail.
The first sad point is that one of those tiny little PO boxes cost an average of sixty bucks a year. Now that is some expensive real estate! Even sadder is the amount of gas wasted on these daily trips. It’s time to save your money! When a person places a first class stamp on a letter, the postal service is saying that they will deliver it all the way to the addressee’s delivery address. Let them! Mail carriers already go past most homes delivering mail in towns all across this country. Why not let them deliver your mail too?
Many businesses would argue that using a PO box is security issue. That is understandable, especially if they receive checks in the mail. Businesses may need a PO box, but do individuals? The reality is that most of us rarely get irreplaceable mail. If a vandal sneaks into your mailbox and steals your electric bill, is it really much of an issue? We all know when our bills are due. Is it really a valid excuse to claim that we never received it? Most companies will certainly contact you again if you forget, regardless. The truth is that mailbox vandalism is extremely rare. Besides, if a vandal really wants my bills, he can have them!
Most social security checks, paychecks, tax returns etc. are typically sent electronically via direct deposit and never touch your mailbox. There are in excess of 43,000 post offices across the US. Millions of us commute to them in a daily ritual to get our mail. The postal service loves it because it is the cheapest way for them to make deliveries. They don’t have to take it to your home, which means they save money on delivery personnel and they get to charge you for using one of their PO boxes.
Installing a mailbox on the side of your home or out next to the street is a relatively painless process. Companies like Mainely Metals and others offer an excellent line of postal approved mailboxes at reasonable prices.
If you need more good reasons to put up a mailbox try these; You can get to your mail anytime you want, 24 hours a day. The mail carrier will deliver stamps right to your home. No Lines! You can mail your letters from home without wondering if the Post Office is open.
Changing our lifestyles by doing simple things like stopping unnecessary trips to the Post Office, using a clothesline and recycling are relatively painless. The facts are in, global warming is real and it’s already impacting us all. It’s time to add, “installing a mailbox” at the top of our, “to do” list for the weekend chores. How large is your “green footprint?”
The first sad point is that one of those tiny little PO boxes cost an average of sixty bucks a year. Now that is some expensive real estate! Even sadder is the amount of gas wasted on these daily trips. It’s time to save your money! When a person places a first class stamp on a letter, the postal service is saying that they will deliver it all the way to the addressee’s delivery address. Let them! Mail carriers already go past most homes delivering mail in towns all across this country. Why not let them deliver your mail too?
Many businesses would argue that using a PO box is security issue. That is understandable, especially if they receive checks in the mail. Businesses may need a PO box, but do individuals? The reality is that most of us rarely get irreplaceable mail. If a vandal sneaks into your mailbox and steals your electric bill, is it really much of an issue? We all know when our bills are due. Is it really a valid excuse to claim that we never received it? Most companies will certainly contact you again if you forget, regardless. The truth is that mailbox vandalism is extremely rare. Besides, if a vandal really wants my bills, he can have them!
Most social security checks, paychecks, tax returns etc. are typically sent electronically via direct deposit and never touch your mailbox. There are in excess of 43,000 post offices across the US. Millions of us commute to them in a daily ritual to get our mail. The postal service loves it because it is the cheapest way for them to make deliveries. They don’t have to take it to your home, which means they save money on delivery personnel and they get to charge you for using one of their PO boxes.
Installing a mailbox on the side of your home or out next to the street is a relatively painless process. Companies like Mainely Metals and others offer an excellent line of postal approved mailboxes at reasonable prices.
If you need more good reasons to put up a mailbox try these; You can get to your mail anytime you want, 24 hours a day. The mail carrier will deliver stamps right to your home. No Lines! You can mail your letters from home without wondering if the Post Office is open.
Changing our lifestyles by doing simple things like stopping unnecessary trips to the Post Office, using a clothesline and recycling are relatively painless. The facts are in, global warming is real and it’s already impacting us all. It’s time to add, “installing a mailbox” at the top of our, “to do” list for the weekend chores. How large is your “green footprint?”