How to Reduce Junk Mail: A Comprehensive Guide

I see it all the time at apartment complexes. A well-meaning individual walks up to his mailbox and unlocks the box. He pulls out a stack of letters, fliers, and advertisements. He sorts through it, taking out only one (maybe two) items of import. The rest is dumped into the trash (or recycle bin, in certain places). This continues for years, decades. Over a lifetime, one individual's passivity can have devastating consequences for the environment.

According to NoJunkMailSigns.com, "In the USA, an estimated 100 million trees a year are cut down to produce paper used for junk mail, and 28 billion gallons of water are used in the process." Not only that, the energy required to produce America's junk mail and then dispose of it is equal to that of 2.8 million cars. And for what? So that you can throw the mailings away without even looking? Even if you recycle the damage has already been done.

Okay, so what can you do about it? Here's my DIY plan for reducing the amount of unwanted unsolicited mailings:

1. If you haven't already, fill out a form to opt-out of pre-approved credit card offers. The website to do so is www.optoutprescreen.com/. I recommend the option where you print the form, sign, and then mail it in, which makes your choice permanent at your mailing address. (The online option is good for 5 years.)

2. Go paperless with your bills. Most all banking can be done online.

3. Add your address to the following websites, if you get mail from them:
http://app.bedbathandbeyond.com/prefs/dmunsub.cfm (Bed, Bath, and Beyond coupons)
http://www.traderjoes.com/soapbox.asp (click on "unsubscribe by mail," this is for the Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer)
(If you come across any more, let us know and we will add the link here.)

4. Likely you receive a weekly flyer that uses as much paper as a magazine, with color advertisements for many stores. The recycle bin is always full of them. Look at the label to see who is sending you the flyer. In my case, it was Redplum, by Valassis. If Valassis is mailing yours, visit the website http://www.valassis.com/1024/Contact/MailingListRemoval.aspx. If it's another company, a little internet sleuthing will be required.

5. Register with DMAChoice at www.dmachoice.org/. DMAChoice is a company that operates both way; it allows individuals to remove themselves from catalogs and mailing lists, as it does allow individuals to join such lists. Don't be tempted add a catalog from a favorite store. It's all online, after all. There are three mail categories: catalogs, magazine offers, and other mail offers. Change your status for all three to no mailings. After 90 days of being registered, you can login to DMAChoice and report any company that is still sending you unwanted junk mail.

6. DMAChoice is good for mailings sent in your name, but what about when you're receiving mail for previous residents? This is common if you rent. And what about requests for money donations from organizations that may not work with DMAChoice? Here's what you do:

-Over the course of one month, save every single item of mail that arrives addressed to a previous resident. Save it even if you see "Or To Current Resident" also on the label. Just have a little stack next to your usual mail pile. (Also add mail from smaller organizations you think might not remove you through DMAChoice.)

-After one month, set aside a small chunk of time and call every single organization or company in this pile of mail. Do this during business hours on a weekday, if possible. You can almost always find the company's phone number on the catalog or in the letter. If not, you should be able to find a customer service number online. All you have to do is tell the representative you're receiving mail for a previous resident and it's pretty easy to get off the list. If you can obtain an email address for customer service, that could work too, so you're not spelling out your address every single time. (Especially when you live on a street like Rengstorff.) At the bottom of this post, I have a sample email form you can copy and paste.

-Repeat. Do this once a month for 3-4 months and you will be on your way to a junk mail-free life! You will likely then have to repeat this a couple times a year in case you've been added to another list. You'll also want to be protective when you give you address out and ask if they sell your information to other companies and organizations. You can also give out slight variations of your name (like A. Middle Last, etc.) so you'll know who gave out your info if you get mail with that particular variation.

Be patience with this process. It can sometimes take up take up to 10 weeks before you start seeing the fruits of your labor, because mailings are printed way in advance. But soon enough you'll only be getting love letters and party invitations! What fun!

Some helpful links:
http://environment.about.com/od/greenlivingdesign/a/junkmail.htm
tp://www.obviously.com/junkmail/
www.41pounds.org/
www.stopjunkmailkit.com/faq/
(Or Google "stop junk mail" to find many more...)

Sample email:
I'm hoping to reduce the amount of unsolicited mailings I receive and I'd like to unsubscribe from your advertisements.

Please remove this name and address from your list, this is how it appears on the label:
ID1234567890

The Happy Family
or current resident

5555 Happy Lane
Happy Town, US 98765-4321

Thank you for your time.