| Junk mail is more than a nuisance. It's
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| | catalog companies that compile the names
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| harmful to the environment.
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| | and addresses of those of us who like to
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| Each of us gets 40 pounds of junk mail
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| | order from mail order catalogs. Then they
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| every year. The number of trees required
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| | share the information with other
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| to produce that much mail for all of us?
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| | companies in the alliance. You can opt
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| 100 million.
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| | out of this alliance by sending an email
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| The Center for a New American Dream says
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| | to or a letter to Abacus, Inc. PO Box
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| that's like deforesting Rocky Mountain
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| | 1478, Broomfield, CO 80038
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| National Park 3 times each year - and
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| | Some catalog companies don't check these
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| that creating and then getting rid of all
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| | opt-out programs. In this case, and for
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| that junk mail takes more energy than 3
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| | any company that continues to send you
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| million cars.
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| | direct mail advertising, find the
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| The Environmental Protection Agency
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| | customer service number or address and
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| reports that, in 2005, almost 6 million
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| | ask to be removed from the list. You can
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| tons of direct mail and catalogs went
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| | also request that they not share your
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| into the garbage. That's enough to fill
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| | information with other advertisers.
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| nearly 500,000 garbage trucks. Only 22
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| | 4. Contact individual senders. The three
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| percent of the stuff is recycled.
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| | steps detailed above should dramatically
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| These huge environmental costs come with
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| | reduce the amount of junk mail you
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| little reward. Americans toss 44 percent
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| | receive. For the rest of it, your best
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| of the mail without even opening it, and
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| | bet is to contact the senders
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| we respond to just 2 percent it.
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| | individually. These companies are
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| You may be surprised to find how easy it
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| | required to allow you to opt out of their
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| is to dramatically reduce the amount of
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| | mailings. It may take some time to
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| junk mail you receive. Here's what you
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| | contact everyone who is sending you junk
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| can do today:
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| | mail, but it is worth it for you and the
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| 1. Register with the Direct Marketing
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| | environment. Note that if a piece of
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| Association's Opt-Out Program. The Direct
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| | unsolicited mail is sent First Class, you
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| Marketing Association (DMA) has a Mail
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| | can send it back. Mark off your
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| Preference Service, which is the closest
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| | information and write "Refused-Return to
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| thing to a Do Not Mail list that the
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| | Sender."
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| country has at the moment. DMA members
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| | 5. Consider your phone listing. It's
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| are required to use this opt-out program.
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| | helpful to get an unlisted telephone
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| Non-members are granted access to the
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| | number because some marketers obtain your
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| list and encouraged, but not required, to
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| | name and address from phone listings. If
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| use it.
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| | you don't want to be unlisted, you can
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| Registration works only for home
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| | ask the phone company to not list your
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| addresses (not business addresses) and
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| | address with your name. Most will do this
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| will stop only national mailings. Still,
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| | at no charge.
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| the DMA says this will stop as much as 75
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| | 6. Protect your personal information.
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| percent of the national direct mail
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| | Give your personal information only to
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| pieces you receive.
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| | trusted companies with the specific
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| The fastest way to get on this list is to
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| | request that they not share it or sell
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| fill out the online form at
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| | it. It may help to request a privacy
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| DMAConsumers.org. The form asks for your
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| | designation with your mortgage company,
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| credit card number because you will be
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| | cable company, bank, etcetera, as well as
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| charged a $1 processing fee.
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| | any magazines you subscribe to and any
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| You can also request activation of the
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| | clubs or groups you belong to (including
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| preference service via mail. Simply send
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| | the loyalty program at the supermarket.)
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| your full name and address, along with a
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| | Let them know in writing that you don't
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| $1 check or money order, payable to DMA
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| | want your personal information shared.
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| (no cash), to: Mail Preference Service,
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| | 7. Think twice before sending in the
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| P.O. Box 282, Carmel, NY 10512
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| | product registration cards. Product
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| You will need to allow about 90 days for
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| | registration cards and customer survey
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| the unwanted mail to begin to decrease (a
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| | cards often put you on a mailing list, as
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| little longer if you mail in the form
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| | well. If you send in the card (which you
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| instead of filling it out online.)
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| | may want to do so that you will be
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| This should cover you for 5 years, at
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| | notified in case of a recall, for
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| which point you will need to register
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| | example) include only the most essential
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| again.
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| | information (generally, your name and
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| 2. Stop the credit card offers. Visit or
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| | address, date of purchase and the serial
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| call 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688). The
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| | number of product.) And include a request
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| major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax,
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| | that your personal information not be
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| and Transunion) maintain this free
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| | shared.
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| service, which allows you to opt out of
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| | 8. Use caution when entering sweepstakes
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| offers for credit or insurance. The whole
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| | and contests. Submit your name and
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| process takes less than one minute. You
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| | address for sweepstakes only if there is
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| can opt out via the website for a
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| | an option for opting out of the resulting
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| duration of five years. If you wish to
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| | mailing list.
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| opt out permanently, you need to do it by
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| | It probably isn't possible to stop all
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| mail. The website has instructions for
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| | the junk mail, so for those bits of mail
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| doing that, as well.
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| | that seep through, make sure to recycle
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| 3. Reduce the catalogs. There is an
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| | it. And know that you did what you could
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| alliance of publishing companies and
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| | to give Mother Earth a little break.
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