Whatcha Gonna Do With All That Junk?

Postal service and direct mailers join together in a pro-junk-mail campaign

Posted at 3:52 PM on 19 Mar 2008

A number of state legislators are introducing bills that would allow residents to block junk mail, and the group ForestEthics recently launched a campaign calling for a Do Not Mail Registry. This sounds appealing to most everyone with a mailbox, but is loudly opposed by direct mailers and the U.S. Postal Service. The Direct Marketing Association has kicked off a new "Mail Moves America" campaign, which argues that junk mail is crucial for keeping postal carriers, copywriters, and printers employed. Some nonprofit groups -- including environmental groups -- are also unenthusiastic about a national do-not-mail registry, since they themselves market by mail. As an alternative, big green groups including the National Wildlife Federation and NRDC have created Catalog Choice, which asks retailers to voluntarily stop sending catalogs to residents who opt out. But it's unclear how much of an effect the program is having, as the Direct Marketing Association has advised its members to ignore it and keep on sending out those catalogs.

source: The Washington Post

ADVERTISING POLICY

Comments: (6 comments)

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USPS & "Green" Groups

That the U.S. Postal Service promotes junk mail shows how deep corporate control over the U.S. government is. When this agency can't even deliver real mail reliably, how dare it promote junk mail! And, BTW, every mail carrier I've talked to hates junk mail, because it makes their jobs much harder.

As to so-called environmental groups, the two named here are two of the most conservative. Any group that does not oppose junk mail in order to save trees and reduce oil consumption and burning is not worthy of being called an environmental group.

by Wolverine at 12:18 AM on 20 Mar 2008

So once again..

...we have an industry openly admitting it represents nothing but a make-work corporate welfare program.

As for environmental groups worried about their own mailings (which does open them up to charges of hypocrisy - I suppose they could rely more on the phone and internet), the answer seems simple. You could just have the do-not-mail registry differentiate between commercial and political mailings, as the do-not-phone registry does.
Anyway, I doubt such a mailing registry would be constitutional where it comes to political speech. I'm not even sure about commercial mailings. Print is treated more protectively than more "advanced" forms of technology.

by Russ at 6:10 AM on 20 Mar 2008

Hated junk mail

It's disgusting that groups are opposing the Do Not Mail registry. I remember well the brouhaha that ensued when the do not call registry was started. It is a great success. In my state only certain non-profit and charitable groups can call my phone and only during certain hours. It's great.

They do not have the right to call my phone as a matter for free speech and the same should apply to the printed matter in my mailbox.

Fortunately I use a P.O. Box and fortunately the local Post office supplies a wasted basket next the boxes. About 90% of the incoming is a total waste.

by Boyscientist at 6:35 AM on 20 Mar 2008

NRDC not much better

Early on in my enviro-education, I was a member of NRDC. After a year of receiving multiple letters & bulletins each week, asking for $$, telling us of their fight or plight, I stopped. I requested only email, but they could not accommodate the request. How can one support a group that is sending me more paper than Macy's?

I like grist because it does not fill my trash with paper that I cannot recycle in this town anyway!

As for the Do Not Mail registry, they would find some way around it. Just like politicians find a way around the Do Not Call registry.

by khapke at 12:26 PM on 20 Mar 2008

Catalog Choice

Well at least now I know why so many of the catalogs I opted out of on Catalog Choice show up as unconfirmed. 4 confirmed, 57 unconfirmed and 3 refused. I was very disappointed then Title Nine and Territory Ahead refused my requests through them.

I do find it ironic NWF helped to create it b/c I know all of my membership to them for the year I belonged had to have been used on mailings of asking for more money, calendars, address labels, gift bags, wrapping paper, etc. After 3 months I finally asked them to cease and desist, send me e-mails and relented.

by latenac at 1:02 PM on 20 Mar 2008

Recycled

I wrote:

"Fortunately I use a P.O. Box and fortunately the local Post office supplies a wasted basket next the boxes."

It's not a waste(d) basket, it is a recycling bin with instructions as to what is acceptable. The Post Office wants the money for third class even though they know we don't want it. Some of it is in circulation less than 30 seconds.

by Boyscientist at 6:15 PM on 20 Mar 2008

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