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