{"id":2981,"date":"2022-04-13T19:28:54","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T23:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/georgia\/articles\/8-ways-you-can-be-smart-consumer-and-also-be-kind-environment\/"},"modified":"2022-04-13T19:28:54","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T23:28:54","slug":"8-ways-you-can-be-smart-consumer-and-also-be-kind-environment","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/georgia\/articles\/8-ways-you-can-be-smart-consumer-and-also-be-kind-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"8 ways you can be a smart consumer and also be kind to the environment"},"featured_media":42277,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[187],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"person_tax":[],"region_tax":[],"state":[7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,29,2,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"topic_tax":[154],"class_list":["post-2981","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":[154,215],"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":false,"event_type":false,"campaigns":187,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[2,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,29,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":154}},"featured_image":42277,"caption_override":"","excerpt":"In recognition of Earth Day, here are some ways you can cut back on what you throw away and, in many cases, save money and protect yourself at the same time","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":null,"hide_hero_image":false,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":[{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":16,"people":"128"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}}]},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

In recognition of Earth Day, we\u2019re offering eight quick ways you can be a smart consumer and also be kind to the environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1. Switch to electronic statements<\/strong> with your banks, credit cards, utilities, etc.<\/p>\n

Paper statements may not arrive on time, they may compromise your privacy if they\u2019re delivered to someone else and you often may end up tossing them (hopefully shredding them). It\u2019s much easier and environmentally friendly to get your statements delivered by email, or get an email that they\u2019re available online to view or download. If you do decide to save them for some period of time, it\u2019s much easier to file them on your computer.<\/p>\n

2. When buying items online,<\/strong> check whether the retailer offers an option to buy without all of the packaging. This option is often less expensive and, of course, you don\u2019t have plastic packaging to fight with, and plastic and cardboard to throw away.<\/p>\n

3. Consider paying as many bills as possible<\/strong> through your bank\u2019s online bill payment service. In most cases, the payments will be delivered by your bank electronically, so there are no checks to get misplaced, compromised or discarded later.<\/p>\n

Bill payment services are free, plus think how much money you\u2019ll save on stamps, which are increasing in price again.<\/p>\n

If you think it\u2019s unsecure, consider that sending a check means your personal information, including your account number, passes through at least a half-dozen people before it\u2019s processed.<\/p>\n

In addition, you\u2019ll make fewer trips to the post office, which will be good for your gas tank and the environment.<\/p>\n

4. Before buying items at garage sales or online<\/strong> (or even some brick and mortar stores), check whether the product is safe. You don\u2019t want to buy a toy that contains toxics, or an electrical product that\u2019s been recalled. You\u2019ll just throw it away. The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers this searchable database https:\/\/www.saferproducts.gov\/<\/a> so you can discover whether a product is safe before<\/em> you buy it.<\/p>\n

5. If you\u2019re filing a tax return or disputing a credit card charge<\/strong>, don\u2019t send paper documents. Paper documents come with the risk of your information being stolen (especially with all of the mail being stolen lately<\/a> from stand-alone blue postal service boxes) or never getting there at all.<\/p>\n

6. If you\u2019re still depositing checks in person at the bank<\/strong>, strongly consider using mobile deposit. If you have your bank\u2019s app on your phone or tablet, you can deposit a check in about one minute. Even if you're running other errands, how long does it take to go into a bank branch and wait in line? And if you\u2019re making a special trip, how much time and gasoline does that require?<\/p>\n

7. Check with your home energy provider<\/strong> for renewable energy options. As an added benefit, it may save you money. There may be subsidies that you can take advantage of that will lower your monthly energy bill.<\/p>\n

8. Opt out of junk mail<\/strong> such as prescreened credit and insurance offers. This stuff just ends up in our trash or shredder.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The credit bureaus are allowed to sell our information but we can opt out. There is one official site for this:\u00a0optoutprescreen.com<\/a> or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT. You do<\/em> have to provide your personal information, including name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. The credit bureaus already have this information and need you to confirm it's you. Just watch out for imposter sites. Don\u2019t just use a search engine and type in \u201copt out prescreen.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is a catch: The opt out lasts only five years. To opt out permanently, you have to print out your request and mail it in.<\/p>\n

If you want to reduce the mail you get that doesn\u2019t start with your credit report, register with the Direct Marketing Association to choose what kinds of unsolicited commercial mail you want. You can opt out online at DMAchoice.org<\/a>. You\u2019ll have to pay a $2 processing fee, and your registration will last for 10 years. Use a credit card; don\u2019t use a debit card connected to your primary checking account. Or you can mail in your form, along with a $3 fee. (Check or money order.) When you register with this service, your name will be put on a \"delete\" file and made available to direct-mail marketers and organizations. This will reduce most of your unsolicited mail.\u00a0<\/p><\/body><\/html>","":null}}]},"yoast_head":"\n8 ways you can be a smart consumer and also be kind to the environment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In recognition of Earth Day, here are some ways you can cut back on what you throw away and, in many cases, save money and protect yourself at the same time\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/georgia\/articles\/8-ways-you-can-be-smart-consumer-and-also-be-kind-environment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"8 ways you can be a smart consumer and also be kind to the environment\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In recognition of Earth Day, here are some ways you can cut back on what you throw 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