Pay the eco way

Paying bills online and getting paid through electronic deposit saves paper, which saves trees that benefit the environment. This is how much the average American household could save each year by making the switch:

• 6.6 pounds of paper

• 63 gallons of water

• 4.5 gallons of gasoline

• 171 pounds of greenhouse gases

The savings in GHGs is significant—the equivalent of preserving 24 square feet of forest from deforestation. Sure, the environmental benefits are the most obvious reasons to change, but there are other paybacks to this sustainable effort as well.

Here are some ways the average consumer is helped by managing finances electronically:

• Saves 2.5 minutes per bill

• Saves more than $100 in checks and postage costs

• Increases credit score

• Reduces household clutter

• Real-time account management

To estimate your own bill-paying footprint, clink on the green calculator at www.PayItGreen.org.