Green Tips: Choose Paperless Billing

In a week where President Barack Obama set new emission standards for cars at 35 mpg by 2016, we see an example of how macro changes in big industries like car manufacturers can lead to micro changes, reducing the carbon footprint of each of us as individuals.

While we wait for these important legislative changes to take effect, individuals can make an immediate impact with simpler, green actions — including changing the way we pay our bills.

This week, U.S. Bank requested via email that I save paper and switch to electronic statements. Comcast did the same with my cable bill. I recently switched my credit card bills to paperless by simply clicking a couple links online.

For people like me, the pain of junk mail more than justifies the switch to eBills.  And the actions we need to take to make the switch are quite simple.  So just how big are the green benefits of going paperless? Are these companies just trying to dress up a little less paperwork and efficiency with greenwash?

According to energy company Dominion and PayitGreen.org, “by switching to electronic bills, statements and payments, an average household annually can:

• Save 6.6 pounds of paper
• Save 0.079 trees
• Avoid use of 4.5 gallons of gasoline to mail bills, statements, and payments
• Avoid release of 63 gallons of wastewater into the environment
• Avoid producing 171 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions

And if 20 percent of households (22,876,800 households) were to switch to electronic bills, statements, and payments, every year the collective impact would:

• Save 150,939,615 pounds of paper
• Save 1,811,275 trees
• Avoid creating 1,439,601,370 gallons of wastewater
• Avoid creating enough wastewater to fill 2,180 Olympic-size swimming pools
• Avoid filling 8,597,328 household garbage bags with waste
• Avoid filling 6,141 garbage trucks with waste
• Avoid using 102,945,600 gallons of gasoline to mail bills, statements and payments
• Avoid producing 3,920,802,916 pounds (1,960,402 tons) of greenhouse gas emissions”
  (Source: http://e-conserve.blogspot.com)

That’s quite a bit of easy, easy savings.

To find out whether or not your bank offers eBilling and payment, check out eBill Place.  They will even walk you through any questions you might have about setting up your accounts, and provide advice on making the transition.