So...two days ago I posted about the absurd paper waste coming from things that I never requested in my mailbox.
To illustrate my point, look at this picture.
This is all that we received since Monday, including:
- Zuger Presse: 40 pages
- Zuger Woche: 56 pages
- Zugerland coupons magazine: 12 pages
- 1 flyer for the Film fur die Erde festival : 1 page (probably the only one I was interested in after all)
- 1 flyer for the coming Kinderartikelboerse of my neighbourhood church : 1 page
- 1 edition of the Schweizerzeit, the very conservative local party and network: 40 pages
- 2 more flyers for the local canton elections, that I had already received and discarded before: 2 pages
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST (and to be honest the only reason I opened it is for science and ultimately you):
the mandatory distribution of programs and flyers of all the parties involved in the local elections (the nice, big and heavy envelope sent by Zug Stadt): 20 various items in all sizes, with special kudos given to the fact that because we talk about various levels of governance, you'll get many documents covering the same party.
Estimated total of pages: 89 pages
Let's also clarify the fact that if the free newspapers are that big at the moment, it is indeed because they also include the same political faces and programs and interviews. Meaning, double-up of information and content.
(and in case you haven't seen the candidates' faces everywhere in the streets it does mean you have started hibernation a little too early).
I calculated the pages as single ones (knowing that AT LEAST everything is printed double-sided), all in colour, and most leaflets look like recycled paper from look and touch. I also took into consideration the size of the newspaper or the leaflets compared to A4 format (for instance, a newspaper's size is A3 for one page, meaning A4 x 2) to compare with the sizes we are most familiar with.
The grand total for the past 2 days, drumbrolls please:
241 pages of unrequested content.
Let's be fair and divide this number by 2 to take into account the double-sided printing and get the number of paper pieces I received.
120,5.
Within 2 days.
I do not vote in Switzerland, my husband neither.
I understand that this is probably part of a mandatory democratic way of accessing information for all candidates if this is the same as in France. But in France, you need to be registered on the election lists to receive such a package. Here, it is one envelope per household, placed in your mailbox neutrally as names do not appear on the envelope, so it actually does not matter whether you vote or not for these elections you will receive one anyway.
SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!
AND WHAT ABOUT MY STICKER STATING THAT I DO NOT WANT TO RECEIVE ANY OF THIS?!
Sorry. This makes me mad. Very mad. For a place that is bragging about cryptocurrencies and blockchains, this is even more stupid and such a useless source of paper waste.
Oh, and of course:
I forgot to count the envelope.