It’s silly that I haven’t done this before, so I’m doing it now as a way to welcome the new year: I’m nixing the junk mail.
I feel like I’m the last one to the party here, but just in case you’ve also been procrastinating on this, here’s how to slow the flow of junk into your own mailbox. But first, why do it? Well, for one thing, it’ll be less recycling to deal with. More importantly, for the average household it’ll prevent the cutting of one entire tree each year.
We got all of this in one day. I suspect we may be above average in junk mail: most folks get 500 pieces per year.
First of all, I registered at directmail.com, which–although it is in the business of sending junk mail, or its preferred term, "direct mail"–is promising to give my name to companies that send mail so they know to remove me from their lists. I’m a little skeptical, especially because the first thing that happened after I put in my info was that I was presented with a page on which I could mark which kinds of mail I DO want to receive! But we’ll see what happens.
Second, I went to catalogchoice.org and started an account through which I can specifically request certain companies stop sending me catalogs. First in my bullseye: The Company Store. (I once bought a shower curtain from them, but I don’t need to read about their selection of pajamas.)
I don’t want to be like these people.
For $20 catalogchoice.com will also provide an "unlisting service," which sounds like a beefed-up version of what directmail.com is doing. I’ll hold off on that for now.
By the way, I learned about both these sites through Better World Betty, our local green-living maven. She’s got a couple other junk mail resources on her site as well.
Anyone else taken these steps already? Did it work for you?