When we advocate using electronic payments, we don't only mean doing away with paper-based transactions. We also talk about not using plastic money - the Credit Cards and Debit cards. According to Earthworks Systems,  an American firm trying to get rid of the world's plastic cards, "75 million pounds of PVC cards go into landfills each year."

Another pro-environment group , PayItGreen says if the average U.S. household switched to electronic payments, it would annually:

- Save 6.6 pounds of paper.
- Save 0.079 trees
- Eliminate 4.5 gallons of gasoline (consumed by mailing and delivering all those paper payments)
- Prevent 63 gallons of wastewater released.
- Eliminate 171 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions (equal to169 miles of driving)

The Payitgreen website has a calculator that lets you calculate your "financial paper footprint." based on you typing in the number of paper checks you write out. According to eBill Place, the average American family would save $50 a year in postage and five hours of time spent writing and stuffing checks into envelopes.

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