Junk mail; unsolicited mailing overflows the American and Canadian mailbox. Over 100 million trees (http://www.41pounds.org/) are cut down annually to distribute junk mail in the United States alone. As well, almost half of the junk mail is never opened and it still consumes approximately 70 hours of the recipent's time dealing with the unsolicited mailings.
Often it is difficult to deal with junk mail because it seems easier to toss the junk mail into the recycling bin in most areas of Canada and the United States. However, some areas of North America are not up to standard with their collection of recycling items. It is great that many of the bulk mailings are being recycled but it would be more impactful to reduce the number of bulk mailings. Eliminating junk mail would have positive effects on the environment; reduce carbon dioxide emissions, reduce the number of trees cut down, and reduce water consumption. By reducing junk mail we are preserving our air, earth, and water resources.
Initail steps to remove a person from junk mail, and unsolicitied phone calls is time consuming but your efforts are for at least a year of no unwanted calls and annoying junk mail in the mailbox. Information provided is to allow individuals to stop junk mail and protect the earth at the same time.
How to Stop Junk Mail
- Write a letter asking to be removed from the mailing list and include your full address. As well, you may wish to do one for each member in the household that is receiving junk mail.
Canada
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association of Canada
1 Concord Gate, Suite 607
Don Mills, Ontario
M3C 3N6
USA
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association of Canada
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale,NY
11735-9008
- Canadians can fill out a form to remove your name and/or business from receiving junk mail, junk fax, and phone calls. After the form is filled out it will take approximately six weeks for your name to be removed from mailing lists. As well, you should do this annually since often your name will reappear on mailing lists.
Canadian Marketing Association
https://cornerstonewebmedia.com/cma/submit.asp
- Place a sticker on your mailbox requesting no junk mail. Some postal worker will adhere and dispose of the mailings. However, at this point the junk mail is being recycled and not reduced. Canadian Residents place a "No Admail Please" on your mailbox. For community mailboxes place it on the lip inside the box.
- Call, email, or write to each catalogue company and request your name and address be removed from your mailing list. Often we asked for the catalogue and are in no need of it several months later.
- Call the credit card companies to be removed from the mailing list. Next time, you recieve a letter from a credit card company call the 1-800 number to stop the unsolicited mailing.
Junk Phone Calls
- Ask the caller to place you on the Do Not Call List
- Remove your number from the phone directory
- Call credit companies and bank, to place your number on the Do Not Call List
USA
- Write a letter asking to be removed from the phone list, include your phone number.
Telephone Preference ServiceDirect Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008.
- Call the National Do Not Call Registry to add your number.
Do Not Call Registry: 1-888-382-1222
Canada
- National Do Not Call Registry is to be available in September 2008.
