Yesterday, the Direct Marketing Association launched a campaign to encourage people to recycle their junk mail, including this new “Recycle Please” Web site. From the Web site, companies can download a logo reading “recycle please” and attach it to their direct mail campaigns and mail catalogs.
Nowhere on the site does the DMA suggest that companies replace unsolicited paper mailings with electronic mailings or that they allow customers to opt to receive the same information via email.
And why should they? The DMA’s press release includes several bulleted stats, including these factoids that suggest that though Americans are bombarded by letters and catalogs they never asked for, many of us flip through them before tossing:
– The average US household gets 18.5 pieces of advertising mail per week,
a figure that has held steady during the past five years. (US Postal
Service, 2005 Household Diary Study)
– Consumers do read their mail. According to the US Postal Service,
85 percent of US households usually read some or all of the advertising
mail they receive. (US Postal Service, 2005 Household Diary Study)
A campaign truly geared at helping the environment—and not just out to polish the image of marketers and fundraisers—would include a downloadable logo promoting paper-free options.
Some suggestions from everydaytrash:
“Let Us Know if You Prefer Email”
“This Catalog Available Online”
“Spam Over Junk Mail”
For helpful tips on actually reducing junk mail, check out: Ecosource; Ecofuture; and Privacy Rights.
Photo from the Government of Westchester web site.
everydaytrash 
Thursday, May 24, 2007 at 8:30 am |
This is the equivalent of Phillip Morris reminding people that they could always just stop smoking.
Thursday, May 24, 2007 at 8:35 am |
Ooh, spot on!
Monday, May 28, 2007 at 4:42 pm |
Apologies if this ends up on here multiple times.
I send the following note to the following address about once a year. A few weeks later, my junk mail slows to a trickle, and when it works it way back up, I send again. It’s a very good solution until DMA folks step up (and, unfortunately, nonprofits depend heavily on direct mail – we need a better way):
Mail Preference Service
PO Box 643
Carmel NY 10512
Please remove my name from commercial and non profit soliciting lists, etc.
Monday, May 28, 2007 at 8:59 pm |
Good to know, thanks!
Friday, June 1, 2007 at 11:03 am |
everyone knows about Green Dimes right? I haven’t used it yet but apparently for a small fee they not only stop your junk mail at the source (major distribution centers) but they also plant a bunch of trees on members’ behalves. Seems like a great gift idea.
Friday, June 1, 2007 at 11:28 am |
Thanks for the hot tip, Max. For everyone else, here’s the link.
http://www.greendimes.com/
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 11:46 pm |
I have to agree and found this very interesting 🙂