JUNK: Junk mail, junk email, junk phone calls — wouldn’t it be nice if all the energy it takes to clutter people’s lives was put into something positive?

A quick trip through our junk mail showed emails thinking we were a construction company, a construction estimator, electrical contractors, sports recruiters, attorneys, medical providers, funding partners, etc. Are we in the market for a playground? A pro sports team? A guaranteed winning lottery ticket?

And these spam calls — geez. We don’t need a fake extended warranty for our car or anything else. One spammer used to call The Era newsroom every day and ask for Mick Jagger. Sure. He’s here. Just a moment, Honkey Tonk Woman, we’ll see if he’s still Paint(ing) It Black. Don’t get Angry. You Can’t Always Get What You Want.

Estimates say Americans have lost about $25.4 billion to phone scams in the past year. It’s normal for people to receive 3 to 4 spam calls a day.

Spam emails are estimated to cost businesses $20.5 billion a year in decreased productivity and time. For average internet users, the collective cost is about $255 million a year.

As for good old fashioned mail, marketers spend an estimated $10 billion on direct mail a year. The US Postal Service itself generates a substantial portion of its revenue from this type of mail, with almost $15 billion in revenue in 2021 from Marketing Mail alone.

The amount of junk mail received annually per person is about 40 pounds, according to a study by The Center for a New American Dream. The creation and shipment of junk mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 9 million cars, making it more than just an annoyance.