Go Paperless

The Environment — June 19, 2010 at 0:56 — no comments  

Approximately one-third of all garbage, before recycling, is paper and paper products, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. By some estimates, 16.5 million trees can be saved in the US alone if all the nation’s households switch to electronic billing.

Here’s another startling fact. The pulp and paper industry is the third largest industrial polluter of air, water and land in both Canada and the United States.

Switch to paperless billing and you may be saving more than trees – you could also save some money. You might be able to get a better interest rate or secure extra reward points. Companies cut costs by sending an e-mail instead of printing paper statements and paying postage – and some of them are willing to pass a bit of that savings on to you.

• Allstate: Customers who sign up for paperless billing (with automatic withdrawal from a bank account) receive a discount of up to 5% on an auto policy, depending on the state.  Discount is not available in California, North Dakota and South Dakota.
• Progressive: In most states, Progressive offers discounts to customers who get electronic statements and sign their policy documents online.
• Sprint: The company gives a one-time $5 credit to customers who sign up for Sprint’s eBill service. (Consumers who get a discount on their plans through an employer are not eligible.)
• Time Warner Cable: Customers in New York can get a $1 credit on their bill each month if they opt for paperless billing.
• Utilities: The city of Nampa, ID offers a one-time $10 discount to customers who opt for paperless billing.

Just be sure to check your e-mail regularly so that you don’t miss the e-mail or let it get buried in your inbox.    And if you know of other companies offering discounts for going paperless, please share them with us!