As a consumer, there are many simple things you can do to lessen your impact on the environment.

Recycle your mail

Environment Canada reports that landfills account for about 38% of Canada’s methane gas emissions. Recycling can significantly reduce the amount of material deposited in landfills. Many municipalities have expanded the types of items being accepted for recycling – including windowed envelopes, magazines, glossy flyer paper and catalogues.

According to the Paper Recycling Association of Canada, the Canadian recycling industry recovered approximately 49% of the paper and paperboard consumed in the country and transformed it into new paper and paperboard products. Although vast improvements have been made in the quality of recycling programs over the last decade, many people still don’t recycle their admail. Help make your home as environmentally friendly as possible; check with your municipality to see what you can put in your recycling bin. For confidential documents, you can shred them first, then recycle them more securely.

Include a return address

It’s a simple way to help get the mail you send out returned to you if the receiving address is incorrect.

Change your address

If you’re moving, be sure to notify your friends, family and the companies with whom you do business in advance. For a one-stop solution, you can notify others of your change of address and have your mail forwarded with Canada Post. Not only is having your mail forwarded an easy way to help avoid missing mail, but it also helps avoid unnecessary printing duplication. For example, perhaps you’ve missed notifying a mailer of your new address, or a mailer didn’t process your change of address in time. In events such as these, we’ll redirect your mail to your new permanent or temporary address.

Learn more about changing your address and forwarding your mail.

Sign up for epost™

In addition to recycling, why not consider e-statements? You can request them directly from participating mailers or through epost. Once you have registered for your free epost box, epost delivers bills and other documents sent to you electronically from participating mailers – letting you view and store them electronically for free. Many epost mailers also allow for electronic bill payment. Using epost is convenient, flexible, secure, easy and environmentally friendly. Learn more about epost.

Put yourself on "Do Not Contact" lists

Many Canadian businesses, like small businesses and charitable organizations, depend on direct marketing to promote their products and services but still they respect the wishes of consumers who don’t want to receive direct marketing. As a consumer, you can request to have your name removed from Addressed Admail™ marketing lists. To stop receiving mail from businesses that you have an existing relationship with, you must contact them directly. To stop receiving mail from businesses you do not have an existing relationship with, you can contact the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) – of which many Canadian companies are members. This service is available to you free of charge. With the CMA “Do Not Contact” service, you can reduce the number of marketing offers you receive by mail. Consumers register to have their names removed from marketing lists held by members of the Canadian Marketing Association. Learn more about the "Do Not Contact" list.

Participate in the Consumer Choice Program

Many local and national businesses distribute unaddressed advertising. Through the Consumer Choice Program, you may opt out of receiving Unaddressed Admail™ delivered by Canada Post. However, choosing this option may also discontinue your delivery of municipal notices and mailings, such as municipal calendars. It is important to note that this option does not discontinue the delivery of unaddressed advertising by parties other than Canada Post. Learn more about participating in the Consumer Choice Program.