Forget-me-<del>not</del>please | Gristmill: The environmental news blog

Forget-me-notplease

Do Not Mail Registry campaign launches

Posted by Sarah van Schagen at 11:04 PM on 11 Mar 2008

Read more about: green living | deforestation

Image: donotmail.org

Just about five years after the opening of the Do Not Call Registry, ForestEthics has signed, sealed, and delivered on a campaign for a Do Not Mail Registry, aimed at eliminating that other annoying way marketers try to reach their grubby little hands into our personal lives: junk mail.

According to ForestEthics, some 100 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered each year (800+ pieces per household!), and junk mail in the U.S. alone accounts for one-third of all the mail delivered in the world.

If those stats don't get you burning to write a strongly worded letter, perhaps this will:

Manufacturing the 6.5 million tons of paper for that junk mail produces more greenhouse-gas emissions than 3.7 million cars.
More than 100 million trees -- many of them from endangered forests -- are cut down to produce that paper each year.

Read more about the Do Not Mail campaign, and join the crowd of 20,000+ who have already given the petition a stamp of approval.

For story: Forget-me-~~not~~please
6 Comments | Post a Comment

Canadian version

The Red Dot Campaign is the equivalent for Canadians who are sick of unsolicited mail.

a sibilant intake of breath

by sindark at 6:47 AM on 12 Mar 2008

Step 1. Make USPS = Private , 2 = do not mail list

Well it is difficult to really stop this trend of junk mail. Until someone wakes up and smells whats going on.
Each time a senator brings a bill forward to control the Direct Mail issue. The USPS postmaster of that area says. "that will put us out of business".
It will raise the price of a stamp. Ok with me.

And will put the Direct Mail Lobbyist (The DMA, ADVO) alarm bells on to shut that Senator up for going after another government organization the USPS. So step 1 privatize the USPS. Step 2 introduce the bill for the do not mail list. Than the Senators don't have to play games with lobbyist's and other government works feeling bad that they will put them out of work.

There seems to be an influx of junk mail stopping companies out there in the last 24 months. http://www.stopthejunmail.com was first to the marketplace. Than startups getting big $'s for fighting the problem like Greendimes, proquo

They should not have to be, but are do to the fact that this problem exists.

by thetinyone at 8:29 AM on 12 Mar 2008

UK

In the UK we have the MPS - mailing preference service, the TPS - telephone preference service, and the FPS - fax preference service. When you sign up, you are placed on the list and companies are required to check this list before mailing, telephoning or faxing you. You will then only receive mail, calls etc from companies that you have specifically requested it from.
It is possible to complain about a company that breaks these rules and a relatively heavy fine can ensue. But, only if you know the company that is breaching the rules (not always possible when you get an automated phone call), only if it originates from a UK company (we get quite a lot of calls coming from the US and Canada), and you can be bothered!
I am registered and receive very little mail and even fewer calls. However, since the introduction of these schemes, I have noticed an increase in the number of leaflets and fliers that are just pushed through the door or delivered inside free newspapers.
All in all, it's a good system and seems to work quite well.
You can read more about it here
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/

by VeganCountyFan at 4:29 AM on 13 Mar 2008

but I like (some) catalogues!

My mother (bless her!) sent me something medical of questionable effectiveness, and now I am receiving all kinds of junk mail related to usually unspeakable parts of the body, selling all kinds of unspeakable-part-soothing products, to say nothing of incredible offers to extend my life in many other ways, as though extending my life were something to be desired.

I hate throwing all this junk into the paper recycling pile!

But I like getting other catalogues, e.g. from publishers of serious books, and museum gift shops. What is life, without Love, Art and Philosophy?

So I hope the junkmail-culler who advertises in Grist, whom I have engaged, is nuanced enough to block the WRONG catalogues and let through the OK catalogues.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 5:08 AM on 13 Mar 2008

DNM list would allow you to get catalogs you want

A Do Not Mail registry would allow mailings from companies with which you have a prior business relationship, i.e. you've purchased something from them. If you go to that catalog's website, actually buy something or request contact, then you could be on their list. That way, paper is only used if you're actually interested in what that company is selling. Opt-in rather than opt-out.

by wkc at 12:16 PM on 13 Mar 2008

Canis

There is Catalog Choice, where you can pick which catalogs you still want to receive, and which you'd like to block.

It's a bit of a pain, because you need to save the catalog and enter in the customer number, and I have found about half the companies "refuse" the request from Catalog Choice, so I have to call them anyway, but it is a handy way to track all the info, and it has cut way down on the number of catalogs I receive... and it's also free.

by kmp at 12:28 PM on 13 Mar 2008

ADVERTISING POLICY

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