Tip of the Week: Junk Your Junk Mail

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Green Newton

Did you know that it takes about 62 million trees and 25 billion gallons of water to produce one year’s worth of this country’s bulk business mail? Paper accounts for 40% of the waste stream, and it takes 17 trees to make a ton of paper. Americans spend over $275 million to dispose of junk mail every year!

Catalogs

As we near the holiday season, you may have noticed that the number of unwanted catalogs in your mailbox explodes. Catalog Choice and Paper Karma are simple to use, free, and really work! Paper Karma is also available as a convenient phone app through the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Reduce Your Current Flow of Junk Mail

  • Remove your name as soon as you receive unwanted mail.
  •  Tell your credit card company you do not want them to give your name to other companies.
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  • Contact the following and ask to be removed from their mailing lists:
    • VAL PAK COUPONS
    • CREDIT CARD MAILING LISTS: 1-888-5OPT-OUT (888-567-8688)
    • THE POLK COMPANY: 1-800-464-7655
    • PUBLISHER’S CLEARINGHOUSE: 1-800-645-9242
  • ‰ Contact the following to be removed from the mailing lists of companies that send unwanted catalogues, sweepstakes entries, coupons, etc.
    • ADVO Inc.: List Services
    • Haines and Company: Criss-Cross Directory – Attn: Director of Data Processing (1-800-562-8262)
    • Harte Hanks Direct Marketing: List Maintenance (1-800-854-8409)

Prevent Junk Mail Before It Starts

When making a donation or a purchase, include a note instructing the organization or company not to lend, sell, or trade your name.

  • Do not fill out contest entries: they are often used to develop mailing lists.‰
  • Do not fill out unnecessary product warranty cards: these are often used to collect information for the purpose of targeting direct mail. Returning these cards is not required in most situations in order for the warranty to be active. If you want to return the card, provide only your name, address, and the product serial number.

This information has been excerpted from Reduce YOUR JUNK MAIL! with permission of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/27392