I try to keep our kitchen organized, but by the week’s end our countertop is piled with junk mail. Bulky catalogs, coupons, credit card solicitations, magazine subscription forms, and pleas to donate to animal shelters, cancer charities and orphanages. The other day I received a complimentary diaper. While I occasionally write for parenting publications, I’m not a parent myself. I stared at the mound of papers (and the diaper) and decided I needed to do my part to help stop the 105 billion pieces of junk mail distributed in the United States each year. But how?
There’s a Do Not Call Registry, but no Do Not Mail Registry. Services such as Catalog Choice contact companies and request opt-outs on behalf of consumers. According to Chuck Teller, Catalog Choice’s executive director, a number of Do Not Mail bills have been introduced at the state level. None has made it all the way through the process. The city of Seattle has had recent success with a resolution urging the Washington State Legislature to establish a statewide Do Not Mail Registry.
When I talked to Sue Geramian of the Direct Marketing Association, she said her industry is capable of regulating itself. Consumers, she said, should think twice about cutting themselves off from all communications. Promotions and bargains are welcome during challenging economic times, for example.
“Direct marketers work very hard to make sure they only reach customers who would be interested in their products; they want to work hand-in-hand with consumers to honor their requests,” she said.
Her argument sounded logical, but as I wracked my brain I couldn’t think of a single piece of junk mail I wanted. My husband could. He keeps some.
“Just in case we buy a pillow,” he’ll say, holding up a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon. He’ll stick the coupon in a drawer stuffed with 20 other Bed Bath & Beyond coupons (all expired). In the six years we’ve been married, we’ve been to Bed Bath & Beyond once. We forgot the coupon.
How to manage
41pounds.org Named for the amount of junk mail an American adult receives each year, 41Pounds.org donates to a charity of your choice when you register.
CatalogChoice.org In addition to catalogs, this non-profit is in the process of adding other advertising mail to their services.
DMAChoice.org DMA’s free online site enables consumers to remove their names from marketing lists.
DoNotMail.org In addition to its opt-out tool, you can sign a petition to stop unwanted mail at DoNotMail.org.
Precycle.Tonic.com This company plants five trees for each new member.
YellowPagesGoesGreen.org Check out this site if you no longer want yellow pages delivered to your doorstep.
A few of my friends have tried do not mail services (see box) and gave me the scoop. It took about three months for the requests to kick in, but the junk mail did stop — for a while. Once they re-established a relationship with an organization by, say, signing up for a department store credit card or ordering a sweater online, they had to opt out again. Recently, I was out of town and asked my husband about our day’s mail.
“You got two freelance writing checks and O magazine,” he said over the phone. “Also, a coupon from your favorite store, Lucy.”
“Save that,” I said. As soon as the words fell out of my mouth, I realized I’d found a piece of junk mail I actually wanted. I use the coupons when I buy yoga clothes. In fact, I told him to save all the junk mail because I decided to follow another piece of Geramian’s advice: Take control of your mail by going directly to the marketers and communicating your specific desires. A person may not want all of Pottery Barn’s catalogs but might enjoy its winter holiday issue.
So instead of tossing my junk mail in the recycling bin, I’m saving it. After I accumulate a decent amount, I’ll pick up the phone and begin a marathon session of opt-out requests. Who knows if it’ll work? Maybe it’ll end up being a colossal waste of time. Ask me in three months.
