Junk Mail: Unclog Your Mailbox
Junk mail is a hassle. Nobody wants
it, yet an estimated 4.3 million tons
of unsolicited, unwanted mail is discarded nationally — a
price we all end up paying in patience and pollution. Right
now
only about one out of five pieces is recycled. It's time
to rethink
junk mail.
Know What:
Bottom line: unwanted mail wastes money and
natural resources. While recycling is a better option than
throwing
out junk
mail, reducing unwanted mail is really the way to go.
Dunk the junk
— you'll save time, trees and water, and reduce garbage
in Indiana.
Know How:
It's easy to get off mailing lists and reduce unwanted
mail altogether.
To begin reducing junk mail at home, consult the resources
of Reduce.org, a service of the Minnesota Office of Environmental
Assistance. This web site provides step-by-step
guidance on how to easily get off mailing lists.
The most important thing you can do to keep your name off
junk mail lists is to control your exposure. Think about
how often you give out your contact information on product
warranties, professional associations, publication subscriptions,
contest sweepstakes, writing checks or shopping online. Remember
to consistently add a privacy statement to anything you put
your name on asking not to be added to their mailing list.
Know More:
- Take me off you list: Contact the Mail Preference
Service of the Direct Mail Marketing Association (DMA)
and tell
them to reduce the amount of national non-profit and
commercial
mailings sent to you. The DMA is a trade association
serving the direct marketing field.
- Junk Mail, Telemarketing and Privacy: Many
people are concerned about junk mail because of privacy
issues. Visit the
online Privacy Rights Clearinghouse for
multilingual fact sheets on junk mail and telemarketing
privacy issues. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
is a nonprofit consumer
education, research, and advocacy program offering
tips on privacy protection.
