Re: Applehoff/Guttentag Junk Mail discussion
Amen to the legislative question! How can junk mail forced on us be deemed
illegal? How can we encourage the USPS to adopt an opt-in policy? They must
consider the financial, quality of life, and environmental implications of
junk mail. For example:
--I make every effort to reduce my impact on the planet, yet I have to drive
more frequently to the town drop-off recyling center to recycle the unwanted
circulars to the 3 (count them!) local supermarkets that I receive
UNSOLICITED weekly in the mail [I was told recently that I can get off this
mailing list if I write to the address on the little white missing persons
slip, which is the originator of the advertising packet--have yet to do
this--will see how it works]
--what about towns adopting Pay as You Throw programs that don't provide
mixed paper recycling? If I had to PAY to throw away someone's junk mail
that the USPS forces on me, I'd be pretty angry!
--currently the nonprofit recycling coalition I work for (that operates on a
shoestring budget) receives great quantities of junk mail, despite my best
effort to prevent it. It would take me over an hour a day to track down who
is sending all of it. ANd of course to set a good example in our office
building, we HAVE to recycle...no setting all that paper out on the
curb...thus, WE HAVE TO PAY for the mixed paper to be taken away!!!...now
we're getting into issues of EPR...how can we charge the generators for
disposal?...
To conclude, I'd like to say that the idea that Ctr for a New American Dream
might pick up this topic is a good suggestion. Anyone from there on this
listserve?
After having just read the Newspaper section of the book "Stuff: the Secret
LIves of Everyday Things" (Ryan/Durning, Northwest Environment Watch,
c.1997), detailing the origin of the virgin fiber percentage of kraft and
newspaper, you realize what an environmental travesty junk mail truly is.
In summary, sign me up for the petition to whoever its best addressed
calling for a national junk mail "opt-in" legislative effort. And if that's
not the next step, I'd be happy to help disseminate information to consumers
and businesses empowering them to "Send it Back!" or otherwise refuse
unwanted earth-plundering junk mail.
-Melissa Bernardin
Boston, Massachusetts
[Guttentag wrote: Mary's suggestion regarding who you can contact about
getting your name removed from mailing lists is helpful but, within the
current legal environment, I feel it is an almost futile strategy. Trying
to get your name removed from direct marketing databases is like fighting
the mythical Hydra....This problem will persist as long as the current
system provides>only "opt-out" options for individuals. This situation
exists because direct marketing companies operate under the legal
presumption that they have the right to send you unsolicited offers through
the mail. You can refuse these offers, of course, but a waste of material
resources occurs as a result. ... if every ounce of material from direct
mailings is recycled, it's still>a waste of resources if you never wanted
the mailing in the first place..>The only sustainable solution to the
problem of unwanted soliticitations>of any kind, snail mail, e-mail, etc.,
is for our legal system to =>recognize that you own your name and you have
the right to determine how =it is used or who could use it. This would
change the rules of direct>marketing to consumers from an "opt-out" model to
an "opt-in" model;that is, I am legally protected from receiving unwanted
direct marketing =
>solicitations unless I choose (by opting-in)... ***I would be =
>really interested in knowing if opt-in solutions have been
>legislatively>proposed or if there are any organizations that are seriously
>advocating >opt-in direct marketing policies.*** We should know about
>these, and,>support those that make sense.
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