Social platforms like TikTok and Reddit can be a go-to source of information for many people, but YouTube is also full of useful information. YouTuber shows viewers how to reuse stuffed mailers for a little one business or whatever you need to ship.

The scoop

This hack is definitely one of those things that makes you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Josh (@Josh_OfAllTrades) is an engineer who shows his followers how to repair things around the house and, occasionally, how to reduce waste.

In one clipJosh shows a simple way to reuse padded envelopes without showing the pre-printed logos that often cover the exterior.

To get a clean padded envelope, tear off any labels that might be on the outside, especially those with identifying information. Then Josh explains, “This is going to sound a little stupid, but turn it around.” This hack will work best on mailers that do not have bubble wrap inside.

If you have something smaller to ship, you can shrink your envelope to the size you want or leave it as is. Josh cuts the top in a semi-circular shape so it lies flatter when folded, but that’s a personal preference.

Finally, once you have placed your item inside, you can tape or staple your new mail closed.

This is a simple but effective solution that will help reduce waste and save money.

How it works

Tips like this are incredibly helpful in saving you time and money and reducing waste. According to USPS“La Poste processes and delivers 23.5 million parcels every day”. This packaging will likely be a mix of paper and plastic, but regardless of the material, this is a staggering number.

Canopy Planet found that 3 billion trees are harvested each year for paper packaging, writing: “If the total amount of trees used each year for paper packaging were stacked end to end, it would go around 1,037 times the Earth. »

What factor would most effectively motivate you to recycle your old batteries?

Collect money

Declutter my junk drawer

Help the planet

I do not recycle batteries

Click on your choice to see the results and express your opinion

Using simple tips to limit our reliance on new packaging can help reduce these huge numbers. In addition to turning envelopes upside down, you can return cardboard boxesor even do boxes from other waste.

Another way to create a mailer is to recycle a paper bag. Although it seems like there are too many paper packages being created, the good news is that in the United States, paper recycling is one of our most successful categories. THE American Forestry and Paper Association found that cardboard has a rate of 93% recycling rate, with paper lagging behind at only 68%.

Deforestation is a major problem for many reasons, including carbon sequestration and ecosystem services. However, with these high recycling rates, we hope these numbers will start to drop. Check your local recycling regulations to ensure your items are recycled correctly.

What people say

Commenters deplored the use of plastic in mail while touting it as a way to delay their trip to landfills.

One commenter responded to people’s complaints: “These letters are single use and end up in a landfill. If you use them again, they will have at least a second use. »

Josh replied, “You get it, man. It’s not much, but it does something!”

Someone else simply wrote: “Dope! »

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