Waste Project: Reduce your Junk Snail Mail

Junk snail mail stinks. Most respectable websites practice disclosure policies when subscribing and unsubscribing you to an email list, but those same companies won't provide you the same courtesy when it comes to shoving an enormous wasteful catalog in your mailbox.

Unwanted mail is a huge problem in our country. Some 5-6 million tons are generated a year, and less than a quarter of it gets recycled. Our household averages about 35 glossy catalogs a week. I don't look at any of them. It's needless waste.

While I have started to recycle our unwanted mail, I am also trying out some new online services that promise to stop it from arriving in my mailbox in the first place.

1.  Catalog Choice (http://www.catalogchoice.org)

Catalog Choice is a free service that lets you opt out of unwanted catalogs. Using their site is a very peaceful process in itself, as the site is ad-free and has a wonderful user interface.

To opt out of a catalog, you need to have the offending catalog in hand. I sat down at the end of a week with my stack and went through methodically. First, look up the catalog in question. Then, select which of the many names the catalog calls you by (it's always amazing to me how screwed up these can be!).  Next, attempt to find the user ID that uniquely identifies you printed somewhere on the catalog. Enter all of this information, and Catalog Choice will do the heavy lifting to get you off their list.

The selection of catalogs isn't comprehensive, but it is fairly extensive. So far, I've opted out of 56 different catalog instances. To be fully removed takes up to 10 weeks, and the site has tools for re-escalating removals that don't seem to be working.

While it's a shame that we have to put in this level of work to send the retailers a message, it's wonderful that this service exists, and I look forward to seeing how well it works.

2.  ProQuo (http://www.proquo.com)

Proquo is a similar service to Catalog Choice except it focuses on different categories of junk mail: coupons, circulars, credit card offers, publisher's clearing house, and other marketing and telemarketing lists can be found here.

The process is a bit more labor intensive than Catalog Choice. ProQuo is more of an aggregator of resources to unsubscribe yourself than a standalone service. They are able to take direct action against a few lists, but for others you will need to fill forms on websites or mail something in. 

Still, it's a great resource to have access to, and I've begun using it extensively. I look forward to seeing if this reduces the inexplicable number of Spanish credit card offers that we receive.

3.  Register with the Direct Marketing Association

The DMA is an association that lobbies for SPAM, telemarketing, and junk mail. Many many retailers and direct mailers are members of their organization, and as such, are required to run their mailing list against DMA's "do not mail" list. To get on this list, register with the DMA here. Doing so online costs $1, but is sure to be worth it.

4. Lazy? Let GreenDimes do it all for you.

GreenDimes.com is a service that pretty much handles all of the above: catalogs, the DMA, and other forms of junk mail. You'll pay a price for that convenience though: $15 to be precise.

I have heard rave reviews about their service, while the jury is still out on the three above. While experimenting with the free services is my path, feel free to check out Green Dimes if you'd like a quicker route to eliminating your junk mail.

Comments

[marguerite manteau-rao]

Thanks Brave New Leaf for commenting on my Green Girl Wannabe' Letter to the Future President. As I commented back, I would love to see what you would write in greater details . . .

And by the way, Green Dimes is on my to-do list. After putting together our still in the box composter . . .

http://lamarguerite.wordpress.com

[marguerite manteau-rao]

Thanks Brave New Leaf for commenting on my Green Girl Wannabe' Letter to the Future President. As I commented back, I would love to see what you would write in greater details . . .

And by the way, Green Dimes is on my to-do list. After putting together our still in the box composter . . .

http://lamarguerite.wordpress.com

[Sanjiv]

GreenDimes here,

Thanks for spreading the word. It's important.

[Danielle]

Great blog! Thank you for mentioning Catalog choice, something we've been really trying to push!

[Simple Green Choices]

Hi, Brave New Leaf， very nice suggestion！Love to read your green project idea and report. Keep on great stuff!

[Allison]

UnlistAssist (dot) com is another company that will reduce your junk mail. UnlistAssist will remove your name and personal info from 40 online databases. Not only will you see less junk mail, but your personal privacy will also be protected. UnlistAssist is on the web you ought to check them out!

[Adam]

The links to reduce junk mail is a large help and I am excited to share it with others. Thank you for taking the time to post and care. What are you doing with wrapping paper this year and/or what do you suggest?