Follow Up on Boston Globe Article
- wadE
Since being mentioned in today's
Boston Globe, we've gotten several email inquires about the
article I wrote a couple
years ago about junk mail.
The response has been quite positive, so thank you for taking the time to write and to come
to our website.
Some additional information on what you can do to limit the amount of junk in your mailbox can
be found here.
Stop What You Are Currently Getting:
STEP 1: Call or write each company directly and tell them to remove your name from their mailing
list. This is the quickest method to stop mail you are already receiving. Include a sample of the
mailing label so the sender can identify how you are listed in their files. Sign and date letter.
Most catalogs provide an 800 telephone number for placing an order, call this number and ask to be
taken off of their mailing list.
STEP 2: First class mail or mail that says "Address Correction Requested" or "Return Postage
Guaranteed" can be returned unopened by writing "Refused- Return to Sender." Other junkmail
returned by this method will only be thrown away by the post office so the sender will never
get the message.
Ok, I'm sure all of us have plenty of time to call these companies up, wait on hold, talk to
someone who will take the next 20 minutes trying to talk you out of not getting their mail
or try to talk you into buying something, then finally get transferred to the department that
actually handles this sort of thing, to only be put on hold/berated over the phone by another person.
But if you do have the time and patience, this is the best thing to do. It may take a few months
for the information to go through the proper channels, but eventually you'll see a reduction in your
junk mail.
If you're like most people and don't have the time, but you are the type of person that would feel
guilty for opening the mail and using their return envelopes with no intention of actually purchasing
anything, then I would recommend Step 2.
However, quite a bit of the junk mail that comes is not first class, and does not specify
"Address Correction Requested" or "Return Postage Guaranteed"; and what about catalogs, and other
mail that can't be returned? What do you do then?
It's awfully tempting to still go ahead and put "Return To Sender" on the mail and toss it
right back. "Grumble...grumble... Let the do-nothings down at the Post Office deal with it!"
But not all Post Offices recycle, so before you do that, think about recycling. Yeah, it's a
hassle, but better than tossing them in the trash.
It's a battle, but if we stick together and hit 'em where it hurts (i.e. the pocketbook)
we can prevail!
- 12/20/2004