Green Eco Services » Junk Mail

ecoHow To Get Rid Of Junk Mail

Cathy — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:47:23 +0000

Necklace and Earring Set made from recycled junk mail. Photo:www.junkmailgems.com

In the past month, I have had a few requests about how to get rid of junk mail. The post office has to deliver it (by law) and everybody complains about it. A fairly new company called SlotGuard is a postal Junk Mail Reduction service for residential customers.

I Just Gotta Tell Ya: (From Do Not Mail)

Junk mail in the U.S. accounts for over 100,000,000,000 pieces of mail each year—about 30% of all the mail delivered in the world
Each year American households receive a total of 104.7 billion pieces of junk mail or 848 pieces of junk mail per household, requiring 6.5 million tons of paper
The average American will spend 8 months of their lives dealing with junk mail
Entire households only average 1 personal correspondence each week, compared to almost 18 pieces of junk mail
A national poll by Zogby International found that 92% of respondents discard or recycle at least some of their junk mail without reading it
Approximately 44% of junk mail goes to landfills unopened
State and local governments and their citizens spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year to collect and dispose of all the bulk mail that does not get recycled. In Seattle, for example, the estimated taxpayer bill for disposing of a year’s worth of junk mail comes to around $400,000
6.5 million tons of discounted junk mail entered the U.S. municipal solid waste stream in 2006
A response rate of less than 0.25% is considered acceptable for the 500 million U.S. credit card solicitations that are mailed monthly
It takes more than 100 million trees to produce the total volume of junk mail that arrives in American mailboxes each year—that’s the equivalent of clearcutting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every 4 months
The manufacture of junk mail releases more greenhouse gas emissions per year than the emissions released by 9,372,000 million average passenger cars. Climate Change Enclosed: Junk Mail’s Impact on Global Warming.

SlotGuard talks about Identity Theft (27 million people) but I think what is great about them, is their blog, which deals with specific companies i.e. Discover Card Junk Mail, which has links to who to call to get your name off the list. Most interesting was the political junk Mail. No matter how many opt- outs you do, the postcards from candidates kept filling up my mailbox. I actually told one caller that I will not vote for any candidate that sent me stupid postcards.

Best of all it is only $9.95 a year, very cheap for a junk mail service.

Strategic And Funky Ways to Get Rid Of Junk Mail

Office of Strategic Influence- Send a Brick To Bulk Mailers

Junk Mail’s Carbon FootprintSimilar Posts:

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Geico Receives The Direct Marketing Association-Marketer Of The Year Award

Cathy — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:58:01 +0000

GEICO just received the The Direct Marketing Association’s 2010 “Marketer of the Year Award” for attributes including corporate and environmental responsibility. What? Wait a sec. Last time we checked, they didn’t even have an environmental paper policy.

And here’s what Elissa W. said when we asked for your thoughts on junk mailers earlier this year:

“GEICO has got to be one of the worst junk mail offenders. We receive two mailings on a regular basis–despite my regular calls asking them to stop. The poor workers are always apologetic, promising that the mail will stop. Yet it never does! I highly resent their exploitation of the gecko, not to mention of the forests.”

The gecko may be green, but GEICO is not. And neither is Travelers Insurance. Tell them to stop trashing our forests.

Like GEICO, Travelers doesn’t even have an environmental paper policy, and they won’t even talk with us about one. If these companies want to send us mountains of unwanted mail, they should at least use paper that doesn’t destroy forests in the process.

Tell GEICO and Travelers Insurance to work with ForestEthics to stop killing forests by adopting responsible policies for paper usage—including their direct mail practices.

Thanks for your help,

Mark Schofield
ForestEthics Paper Campaigner

P.S. Do you think that one day GEICO and Travelers Insurance might actually be as green as the famous gecko? Push them in the right direction: http://ow.ly/316N2

To send a letter to Geico click hereSimilar Posts:

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Getting Rid Of Junk Mail- Putting On The Pressure

Cathy — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:23:06 +0000

Do Not Mail

I don’t know about you, but my worst Junk Mailers in order #1) ATT #2) Chase #3) Time Warner #4) Southwest Airlines #5) Political candidates #6) Coupon people in general #7) Salvation Army #8) Capital One #9) Union Tribune. What I don’t understand is no matter what I do or write Junk Mail keeps on coming. In fact I actually called one of the credit card companies to cancel my card due to the dearth of Junk Mail and guess what they took me off the list and I still have the card.

Do Not Mail has stepped up the pressure on the worst junk mailers; GEICO, Bank of America, Discover, Chase, Capital One, and American Express. The are looking for stories from real people to step up the elimination of junk mail.

You can Share your junk mail story with them.

Sharing a story only takes a couple minutes and it can be simple as any one of these ideas:

Tell us who bugs you the most – Name names and tell us what they do to bother you.
What worries you about junk mail and why? Are you afraid of identity theft, losing important mail, or the number of trees sacrificed to create junk mail? Tell us, and tell us what happened to make you feel that way.
Share a bad experience you or your family have had as a result of junk mail.
Upload a photo or video of yourself or your piles of junk mail – Help us show junk mailers the clutter they create and the faces of the people they’re disrespecting.
Spot the greenwash – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is a false eco-label that misleads people about whether or not products are ‘green’. If you see the SFI logo or any other dubious certifications on an envelope or insert, let’s hear about it.

I Just Gotta Tell Ya:

Junk mail in the U.S. accounts for over 100,000,000,000 pieces of mail each year—about 30% of all the mail delivered in the world
Each year American households receive a total of 104.7 billion pieces of junk mail or 848 pieces of junk mail per household, requiring 6.5 million tons of paper⁷
The average American will spend 8 months of their lives dealing with junk mail
Entire households only average 1 personal correspondence each week, compared to almost 18 pieces of junk mail⁹
In 2005 the United States Postal Service processed more junk mail than First Class Mail for the first time, and our postal service is increasingly oriented toward the delivery of unwanted junk mail¹⁰
Since 1991, national polls have consistently shown that between 80 to 90% of respondents dislike junk mail and would take some action to reduce it if they could
In a Zogby International poll, 93% of respondents were aware of the Do Not Call Registry and 89% of them supported a Do Not Mail Registry to make it easier to opt out of unsolicited ad mail¹¹
A national poll by Zogby International found that 92% of respondents discard or recycle at least some of their junk mail without reading it¹²
Approximately 44% of junk mail goes to landfills unopened¹³
By the year 2010, almost 50% of the solid mass that makes up our landfills is expected to be paper and paperboard waste¹⁴
State and local governments and their citizens spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year to collect and dispose of all the bulk mail that does not get recycled. In Seattle, for example, the estimated taxpayer bill for disposing of a year’s worth of junk mail comes to around $400,000
6.5 million tons of discounted junk mail entered the U.S. municipal solid waste stream in 2006
A response rate of less than 0.25% is considered acceptable for the 500 million U.S. credit card solicitations that are mailed monthly¹⁶
• It takes more than 100 million trees to produce the total volume of junk mail that arrives in American mailboxes each year—that’s the equivalent of clearcutting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every 4 months
The manufacture of junk mail releases more greenhouse gas emissions per year than the emissions released by 9,372,000 million average passenger cars.¹ Read our full report, Climate Change Enclosed: Junk Mail’s Impact on Global Warming.
The Canadian Boreal forms part of the greater Boreal Forest, which stores more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem on earth.¹⁹ Despite this natural ability to protect us from the effects of global warming, the Canadian Boreal is being logged at a rate of 2 acres a minute, 24 hours a day²⁰ to produce junk mail and other paper products.
Deforestation of Indonesia’s tropical forests is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions.² This destruction is largely driven by demand for pulp and paper for end uses like junk mail. Logging contributes to Indonesia’s status as the world’s third largest emitter of CO2 into the Earth’s atmosphere, despite its relatively small size.²²
Both Canada’s Boreal and Indonesia’s tropical forests are home to indigenous communities who depend on the land for hunting, fishing, economic development and cultural activities.
The Boreal provides critical habitat to caribou and half of North America’s songbird species.
Indonesia is home to 12% of Earth’s mammal species, and 17% of all bird species.²⁴ Many of these, including endangered orangutans and tigers, rely on Indonesia’s rapidly disappearing tropical rainforests for their survival.

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Return To Offender- Get Rid Of Junk Mail

Cathy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:46:00 +0000

I am a little late with this, but not to worry, you can do this anytime, in fact I highly recommend it.

From Forest Ethics:

Well, it’s time to take a stand against the waste and annoyance of the junk mail industry. That’s right, the Return to Offender Day of Action is here!

Today, take that junk mail you’ve been collecting, write RETURN TO OFFENDER in bold letters on a postage-paid return envelope from one of our biggest offenders–Capital One, Bank of America, or American Express–and drop that junk back into the mail.

Want to share your action and find out what other folks are doing? Tell us about your action and upload a photo. Be sure and check back later to see what other supporters are up to.

By joining this day of action, you are strengthening the campaign to stop junk mail and protect Endangered Forests. In the coming months, we’ll be meeting directly with these biggest junk mail offenders. Keeping the pressure on Capital One, Bank of America, and American Express is an integral part of the strategy to shift the industry towards something greener and less annoying than junk mail.

Thank you for taking part. Together, we’ll make sure these companies get the message loud and clear.

Do Not Mail supporters across the country are sending junk mail back to the most annoying offenders–Capital One, Bank of America, and American Express. Will you join the Return to Offender Day of Action?

Just stuff your junk mail into a postage-paid envelope from the worst offenders, write “Return to Offender” on the envelope, and mail it back.

Then, tell us about your action!Similar Posts:

Opting Out of Stuff- Junk Mail and Catalogues

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Opting Out of Stuff- Junk Mail and Catalogues

How To Get Rid of Sears Catalogues

Cathy — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:41:33 +0000

From Forest Ethics and this is very easy to do- follow the clicks and it’s easy to email your protest!

When Sears started their catalog twelve decades ago, they pioneered the practices that have left us overwhelmed by junk mail. Now, Sears sends over 425 million catalogs a year (including 270 million Lands’ End catalogs). That’s enough paper to completely wrap the Sears Tower six times a day, every day, for an entire year.

And all of that paper has a high price. These catalogs are printed with almost no post-consumer recycled content. While Sears has talked about adopting a new paper policy, they have been stalling for over two years– refusing to make any real commitment to protect the Endangered Forests that are cut down to create their catalogs. This puts animals, plants, and the people who depend on these forests at risk.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Will you tell Sears that if they’re going to send you catalogs, at the very least they must follow the environmentally responisible footsteps of companies like Victoria’s Secret and Crate & Barrel?

Send your message to Sears CEO Edward Lampert, now.

To reduce their impact on Endangered Forests, Sears/Lands’ End must:

stop purchasing paper that come from Endangered Forests,
stop sourcing from off-limits threatened caribou range,
maximize the post-consumer recycled paper in catalogs and junk mail,
ensure that all remaining virgin fiber has Forest Stewardship Council certification, and
implement strategies to reduce paper use, overall.

It’s time for Sears to adopt a strong paper policy that protects forests, reduces paper use, and respects our mailboxes!Similar Posts:

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Opting Out of Stuff- Junk Mail and Catalogues

Cathy — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:53:22 +0000

Photo:onlygreengear.com

The hardest part about opting out of stuff, junk mail, catalogues, is taking the time to do it.

Keep your junk mail for 1 month (gather names)
Return to sender as much as possible on envelopes.
Take an agency-direct mail solicitor a day and either call or send a letter.
Call your credit card companies and ask to be taken off their list.

Who to call or Write

Request to have your name removed 888.5opt-out (888.567.8688

DMA- Direct Marketing Association- offers the DMA Choice is an online tool to help you manage your Mail.

Privacy Rights -

Opt Out- links to opt out forms for banks, direct mail and telephone solicitors

Opt Out Prescreen- Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are permitted to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you (“Firm Offers”). The FCRA also provides you the right to “Opt-Out”, which prevents Consumer Credit Reporting Companies from providing your credit file information for Firm Offers.

Through this website, you may request to:

Opt-Out from receiving Firm Offers for Five Years – (electronically through this website).
Opt-Out from receiving Firm Offers permanently – (mail Permanent Opt-Out Election form available through this website).
Opt-In and be eligible to receive Firm Offers. This option is for consumers who have previously completed an Opt-Out request – (electronically through this website).

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Forest Ethics- Training Camp- Sign Up

Cathy — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:15:53 +0000

Press Release- Our annual summer leadership summit is just around the corner! Every year we bring our most committed grassroots activists together for three days to build skills, strategize, and get to know each other. This year, we’re partnering with Greenpeace for our most exciting training camp yet!

Apply online to attend the Activist Training Camp,
August 13-17 just outside of Chicago, Illinois.

Experienced environmental campaigners from Greenpeace and ForestEthics have created a comprehensive agenda to prepare our grassroots leaders (that’s you!) to hit the ground running for the next year of campaigning. We’re gearing up for major victories at a pivotal point in history: our political atmosphere has shifted, the climate is heating up, and campaigns to protect Endangered Forests need strong leadership now more than ever before.

Who should apply:
New volunteers who are interested in joining ForestEthics’ dedicated activist core.

Interested?
Apply online now, and look for my follow-up email in the coming weeks.

Cost:
This training is FREE. We’ll even cover your meals! All you’re responsible for is your travel expenses to and from the training. For folks who need a little extra help, we have travel scholarships available. Just be sure to note any financial needs when you apply.

Deadline to apply:
Monday, May 25

I look forward to this summit all year–it’s a powerful way to connect with activists across the country who are running campaigns and organizing in their communities. I can’t wait to see you at the 2009 Activist Training Camp!

For the forests,
Linda

Linda Wells
Organizing Manager
ForestEthics

P.S., Apply online for the 2009 Activist Training Camp now!Similar Posts:

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iPhone App offers Discount- Coupon Sherpa

Cathy — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:03:06 +0000

Now you don’t have a reason to not get rid of your junk mail. Coupon shoppers now have a way to get their discounts without using a piece of paper.

Introducing Coupon Sherpa- allows shopper s to access in store coupons on their iPhone or iPod Touch. All you have to do is show the coupon to the store clerk and

I just Gotta Tell Ya

Advertisements create 51.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases each year.” That’s equivalent to the emissions generated by heating about 13 million homes or mowing more than 20 billion lawns.
About 28 billion gallons of water are wasted to produce and recycle junk each year.
You waste about 70 hours a year dealing with junk mail.
The average adult receives 41 pounds of junk mail each year. 44% goes to the landfill unopened.
$320 million of local taxes are used to dispose of junk mail each year.

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ATT- Kills Trees with Stupid Junk Mail

Cathy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:40:30 +0000

I received this email from Elizabeth about ATT. It’s a good question- I receive at least 1 junk mail from ATT a week, although they never come to my house.

‘Hi, I would like some advice on how to attack a problem in getting junk mail from AT&T regarding U-verse. I receive weekly items from them, each time in a different format/envelope, each extolling the virtues of U-verse. Fine & dandy but I’m not getting the service now. If they do this to everyone they’re wasting an amazing amount of paper/trees. They come to my door every other week and i mention this to them and one even said, ‘yes, folks joke that we just kill trees’. I am not a tree-hugger, per se, but this bothers me as I do try to do my best to recycle and reuse things. Who could I contact that may assist me, is there a green organization or group of some sort, with enough pull to make a difference? or must i just toss it all in the recycle bin and forget about it.’

In solving Elizabeths (and my problem) I went to the ATT U-verse website privacy policy .

To Opt Out: From ATT WebSite:

Contact Information to address concerns- clicked on contact us- NO PHONE NUMBER. -but buried in text is a list of phone numbers -Contact
Email-Please e-mail us at privacypolicy@ATT.com or write to AT&T Privacy Policy Manager, 208 South Akard, 27th Floor, Room 2750.04, Dallas, TX 75202 to address any concerns you may have about our privacy practices and policies.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this policy, you should first contact us via e-mail atprivacypolicy@att.com. If you do not receive acknowledgment of your inquiry or your inquiry is not satisfactorily addressed, you should then contact TRUSTe through the TRUSTe Watchdog Dispute Resolution Process and TRUSTe will serve as a liaison to resolve your concerns. You may also contact BBBOnLine at www.bbbonLine.org.

Not quite good enough- to get rid of ATT Junk Mail and people coming to your house!

If you are in California- Here is the Attorney General Complaint form
For A List of Companies and ways to deal with Junk Mail – Go to the Junk Mail Category

Or My suggestion- use Viral Media- send this post on to your friends who uses ATT- have them deluge the ATT privacy policy@ATT.com with complaints. Digg or Tweet this post and hopefully millions will see it!

Other Resources

Privacy Rights

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San Francisco Passes Do Not Mail Resolution!

Cathy — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:26:58 +0000

Just received this update from Forest Ethics - San Francisco Passes Do Not Mail!

Yesterday, San Francisco made history by becoming the first city in the country to officially support a national solution to junk mail: the Do Not Mail Registry. Is your city next?

Well, that’s up to you! Passing a Do Not Mail Resolution in your city is an important next step towards ending the waste and destruction of the junk mail industry. That’s why we’re offering a free call-in training on how you can pass a Do Not Mail Resolution where you live.

Do you want to stop junk mail in your town?

Sign up for a free call-in training.

On the training call, we will cover:

an inside look at how we passed the San Francisco resolution,
the ins and outs of how to craft a municipal Do Not Mail Resolution,
a step-by-step guide to organizing support in your community, and,
how to work with your local representatives.

Junk mail proponents have been raising money, training their volunteers, and lobbying our representatives for six years–ever since Congress passed the Do Not Call Registry. This is the first time we’ve been able to break through their money and lobbying power. Together, we’re creating a powerful movement to make our world a better, less wasteful place. Similar Posts:

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