My copy of Time this week offered some interesting stats on junk mail:

• Americans receive 40 pounds of junk mail each year.
• Each household averages 848 pieces of junk mail annually.
• 30% of the world's mail includes junk.
• 19 billion catalogs hit mailboxes every year.
• 44% of junk mail ends up in landfills.

The phrase "junk mail" indicates that it's roundly accepted that no one even looks at this stuff. But apparently, direct mail (the term people who send it like to use) leads to around $646 billion in annual sales, which means that not only does it work, but that it won't stop unless you take active steps against it.

If you're anything like me and really tired of receiving endless offers and catalogs, here are some steps you can take to make it stop:

• Some catalogs have a number inside that you can call to ask to be taking off their mailing list. If you're receiving lots of catalogs and think that might be too tedious, check out CatalogChoice.org, a free service that can help you quit the catalog game. I signed up for this about six months ago, and I haven't noticed an improvement at all. However, I will admit that when they asked for information on my mailing labels beyond things I have memorized, like my address, I couldn't provide it. So maybe this service works better if you have catalogs in hand.
• ProQuo.com is a free service, and once you put in your mailing
  information, you can select exactly which lists from which you want to
  be removed. I signed up for this and was taken through a series of mail
  types and clicked on images of junk mail types. I haven't been a member
  long enough to tell you if it works, but I can tell you that the sign
  up process was great. For example, in the coupons section, I was shown
  four images. I knew I was receiving Val-Pak and not Pennysaver, so I
  click Val-Pak. Poof! It's gone. The images are really helpful because,
  since I typically chuck half that stuff in my recycling bin as soon as
  I get it, I don't know their names, but I do recognize what they look
  like. So kudos to ProQuo for their innovation. One caveat - some
  companies make you print and send a letter verifying you want to be
  removed from their lists, so it's not as easy as a few clicks. Most of
  the catalogs want information from your mailing label as well.

• GreenDimes.com is another option, but this costs $20 annually. Your $20 comes with a 90-day, 90% reduction guarantee, which CatalogChoice can't offer. Plus it works to get rid of all the other junk mail beside catalogs. I have not tried this, but maybe in the future, I might be willing to shell out the cash.