Blog Action Day and My Junk Mail Beef

I said I'd contribute to Blog Action Day but I'm not taking on the big issues. Maybe getting older or experiencing more makes me less likely to deal with saving the whole planet. I figure the Action Blog has it all covered

Or, I'm just a pragmatist. Or today I just want less mail that goes directly into the recycling bin.  Or I'm stunned that according to 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth: 

• Each year, 100 million trees are used to produce junk mail.
• 250,000 homes could be heated with one day's supply of junk mail.
• Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year.
• The yearly production and disposal of junk mail consumes more energy than 2.8 million cars.

But to whittle the issue down even further, I'm only going to talk about getting your address removed from those "occupant" lists, not dumping the myriad of catalogs that you get because you ordered one item from LL Bean in 1980.

A caveat before I go on though. You may have to ask a distribution company more than once to make sure that your address has been removed from the mailing lists. And once it comes off how do you know? I've yet to find that out.

Then, when it has been removed you still will wind up having to remind the letter carrier not to just stuff your box like everyone else's.

Sigh - but it you'd still like to try to get your name removed, here's what to try:

To find out who's contacting you, Look for the postcard that come with the advertising. It will have your name as "occupant" and a printed address - presumably yours. (often these are missing children postcards)

If there isn't a postcard, is there a mailing label attached directly to the advertising? Aha - the name of the company doing the actual distribution is probably near that address.

    If all else fails try looking for a phone number in the margin or somewhere around the edge of whatever got sent to you.

The big three are

      

• ADVO, Inc. You can remove your name and address from ADVO three ways:                       
  • Call ADVO's Consumer Assistance line: (888) 241-6760
  • Fill out and submit the form at ADVO's website: www.advo.com/consumersupport.html
  • Send a letter to:
            ADVO, Inc.
            Customer Assistance
            P.O. Box 249
            Windsor, CT 06095
         

      

• PennySaver envelopes and fliers mailed out of California or The Flyer in Florida, (Harte-Hanks). You can remove your name and address from these mailings two ways:                       
  • By phone :
            PennySaver at: (800) 422-4116
            The Flyer at: (813) 626-SELL
  •         By mail:
            Circulation
            C/O Pennysaver
            2830 Orbiter Street
            Brea, CA 92821
           
            Circulation
            C/O Flyer
            201 Kelsey Lane
            Tampa, FL 33619
         

      

• Val-Pak Savings Coupons. Val-Pak - unluckily or luckily I cant decide which - maintains regional lists, not a central one. This means that you have to send your request to the address printed on the envelope you receive. If your address gets the famous blue envelope you can also remove your address from their website at: www.coxtarget.com/mailsuppression/s/DisplayMailSuppressionForm

resources:
Do it Yourself Junkmail Page
Ecofuture: the Role of the USPostal Service

Comments

[Dayngr]

I'm with you. I hate all that paper junk mail. I would like to see it easier to get off the lists though like perhaps a web opt out for all of them.