rebeccacarter

7 Responses to “Tip o’ the Day: War on Junk Mail”

1. Jimmy Hogan Says:
   March 28th, 2007 at 1:34 pm

   Thank you Rebecca.

   I had missed your original article on this and will put the advice to good use right away.

   http://rationalenvironmentalist.com

2. James Says:
   March 28th, 2007 at 5:51 pm

   How about ideas for getting rid of SPAM?

   My email program spends several minutes a year downloading spam. All those precious CPU cycles wasted on emails I will never read and just throw in the trash.

3. Unregistered User Says:
   March 29th, 2007 at 2:32 am

   Do Not Mail Opt-Out Law would be fair to everyone.

   The proposed recent “Do not mail” is an Opt-Out law. Only those not desiring advertising mail need opt-out. Anyone desiring advertising mail can do nothing - and continue to receive it. Why deny those wishing to avoid advertising mail the power to do so?

   I do not consider handling unwanted advertising placed against my will on my personal property to be a civic obligation!

   The US Supreme Court said in the Rowan case in 1970, ““In today’s [1970] complex society we are inescapably captive audiences for many purposes, but a sufficient measure of individual autonomy must survive to permit every householder to exercise control over unwanted mail. To make the householder the exclusive and final judge of what will cross his threshold undoubtedly has the effect of impeding the flow of ideas, information, and arguments that, ideally, he should receive and consider. Today’s merchandising methods, the plethora of mass mailings subsidized by low postal rates, and the growth of the sale of large mailing lists as an industry in itself have changed the mailman from a carrier of primarily private communications, as he was in a more leisurely day, and have made him an adjunct of the mass mailer who sends unsolicited and often unwanted mail into every home. It places no strain on the doctrine of judicial notice to observe that whether measured by pieces or pounds, Everyman’s mail today is made up overwhelmingly of material he did not seek from persons he does not know. And all too often it is matter he finds offensive.”

   Furthermore, the Supreme Court said, “the mailer’s right to communicate is circumscribed only by an affirmative act of the addressee giving notice that he wishes no further mailings from that mailer.

   To hold less would tend to license a form of trespass and would make hardly more sense than to say that a radio or television viewer may not twist the dial to cut off an offensive or boring communication and thus bar its entering his home. Nothing in the Constitution compels us to listen to or view any unwanted communication, whatever its merit; we see no basis for according the printed word or pictures a different or more preferred status because they are sent by mail.”

   We need a nationwide “Do Not Mail” law to create a one-stop, convenient place for homeowners to give senders the aforementioned affirmative notice that we do not want certain kinds of mail sent to our homes.

   http://www.newdream.org/emails/ta19.html

   Signed,
   Ramsey A Fahel

4. jimmy Says:
   March 29th, 2007 at 1:26 pm

   I’ve considered going full Clark Griswald on my mail-box and cutting that sucker off at the stump with a chain-saw.

   I check my mailbox about twice a week and it’s always stuffed with crap. (Cutting residential mail delivery to 2 days a week rather than 6 would be a HUGE energy saver too, btw).

   Anyway, I’m happily anticipating the reductions based on the advice here.

   Thank you again.

5. Kendra Says:
   March 29th, 2007 at 8:36 pm

   Hi- thanks for letting people know about GreenDimes! GreenDimes is happy to help folks reduce their junk mail by getting them off direct mail lists and unsolicited offers, and opting them out of the catalogs they no longer want (while keeping the catalogs they do want!). And it’s true that GreenDimes plants a tree for every member every month.

   Please do check us out, you won’t be let down!

   Thanks again for your post,
   Kendra at GreenDimes

6. Jay Nelson Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 1:41 am

   Reducing Unwanted Mail

   As of October 2007, 15 states have initiated “Do Not Mail” registry legislation. There are many obstacles to overcome, not the least of which are powerful lobbying efforts against it. In the meantime, to reduce unwanted mail, here is one successful method.

   There is a little-advertised means of stopping unwanted postal advertisements from reaching your mailbox. It is a law, and it is under the United States Postal Service (USPS) auspices.

   This is the only method of stopping unwanted mail at its source where you are not required to pay money other than postage, and it is nearly 100 percent effective.

   Pursuant to federal law (Title 39 USC § 3008), a postal addressee who receives an unsolicited (or solicited) advertisement offering for sale matter that, in the addressee’s sole discretion, is “erotically arousing or sexually provocative,” may, by completing PS Form 1500, obtain a prohibitory order from the USPS directing the mailer of the advertisement to refrain from making further mailings to that addressee. The key phrase is “…in the addressee’s sole discretion…”. For example, if a pizza advertisement strikes you as sexually provocative, you can use the Prohibitory Order process to stop the mailings.

   Should the mailer (vendor) continue sending mail after receiving the USPS Prohibitory Order, the USPS turns the matter over to the United States Department of Justice for prosecution. The U.S. Department of Justice is responsible for prosecuting violations of postal related laws and regulations.

   While the law, the form and the USPS instructions for using the form were originally intended for sexually explicit and provocative mail, the U.S. Supreme Court, in its decision Rowan vs. U.S. Post Office Department, 397 U.S. 728 (1970) ruled that the law under Title 39 USC § 4009 (now 39 USC § 3008) includes all unwanted commercial mail. Thus, PS Form 1500 is no longer used just for sexually explicit or provocative mail - although it still reads as such.

   Why the USPS or Congress has not changed the law, the form or the instructions to reflect the Supreme Court decision in the past 37 years is a another conundrum that may never be answered. There are powerful lobbyists both within and without the USPS who do not want any change.

   Unfortunately, because the law and Prohibitory Order process (as they are currently written) are still difficult to grasp by many citizens, there is need for more detailed guidance. Thus, this long commentary.

   Nevertheless, do not be intimidated or confused by the instructions, the form or the law.

   If you have been receiving unwanted, commercial advertisements and you no longer want to receive them, simply click below, print out the form and instructions, fill in the form, sign it, and mail it to the U. S. Postal Service at the address shown below - along with the advertisement.

   Shortly (experience indicates about 15 days after USPS receipt of the application), you will receive a letter advising you of the USPS action taken. Do not be confused by the letter’s wording - it all relates to sexual mail that you decided you did not want. Just think of your unwanted advertisements as sexually explicit mail.

   Click here to obtain PS Form 1500 and the instructions for completion:

   http://www.usps.com/forms/_pdf/ps1500.pdf

   Action Steps:

   1. Open the advertising envelope or wrapper (if there is one), take out all the contents and attach everything to the form. The USPS will NOT accept unopened envelopes or wrappers. Put all this into another envelope.

   2. Fill out the form. Put your printed name and address where indicated at the top. Make sure you put an “X” in Block 1. - and write your initials next to Block 1. Put an “X” in Block 1a. In the middle of the form put the mailer’s name and address on the three lines indicated. Sign the form and date it. That’s it.

   2. Send your completed PS Form 1500 and material directly to:

   Pricing and Classification Service Center
   US Postal Service
   PO Box 1500
   New York NY 10008-1500

   You may need a large envelope for this step.

   It is suggested that you do not give the form to your postmaster, as advised in the USPS instructions as that office will only send it to the above address. Also, there have been reports that some local Post Offices act as if they know nothing about the form or the process. And, do not advise your local mail carrier that you are trying to reduce your unwanted advertisements. Again, experience shows this to be a nonproductive move.

   3. Mark your calendar about 15 days out from the date you mail your form to USPS. If you do not receive a response by the date you expect to receive it, start squawking. You can start here:

   Pricing and Classification Service Center
   Tel. 212-330-5300
   FAX: 212-330-5330

   4. If you don’t get prompt service from these folks, report this directly to the Postmaster General at:

   Postmaster General
   U.S. Postal Service
   475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
   Washington, DC 20260-1000
   Tel. 202-268-2020 FAX: 202-268-5211

   5. After you receive your copy of the USPS Prohibitory Order, mark your calendar again in accordance with the 30-day period explained in the letter. If, after the 30-day period, you receive mail that appears to have been sent in violation of the prohibitory order, open it and write clearly on the envelope and all its contents a statement that you received it and the date of receipt. For example, “I received this mailpiece on October 5, 2007.” Apply your signature below your statement. Include a photocopy of your prohibitory order, if possible, or a notation of the order number and send the mailpiece to the address noted in paragraph 2., above.

   This process has worked numerous times with consistent success. The unwanted mail, in nearly all cases, will stop before you have to exercise step 4.

   Important: Be courteous but firm in your letters and phone calls - where necessary. Inappropriate language and rage will not get you off home plate.

   Once you have stopped the company from mailing advertisements to your address you may still receive the advertising for awhile. The reason is that mass (bulk) advertising coming through the post office is usually sorted by the company before the post office gets it, using mailing lists the mailer has with your address on it. The mailpiece will usually be addressed to “Resident”, “Occupant”, “Neighbor”, or similar generic name. The mail carrier just picks up the pile that has been presorted by street/area and just starts delivering it house to house without looking at the street address. If this happens, advise your postmaster (or your mail carrier) that your address has been deleted from the company’s mailing list and that you do not want to receive any mail delivered to your address that does not have your name and street address on the envelope or the wrapper.

   Additional information:

   a. By law, the USPS trashes all unwanted third class mail - now called “Standard Mail (A)” - that you mark “refused” or “return to sender.” Nearly all advertisements are third class/Standard Mail (A) - also called “bulk mail.” So, this method of reducing waste in our environment is not an option. Keep in mind that USPS is not into environmental causes that reduce the generation of unwanted (junk) mail.

   b. The “Do Not Mail Registry” initiative that was introduced by 15 states, and which seemed to be proceeding successfully, would bring great relief to millions of Americans. But, that effort - being heavily lobbied against by powerful, special interest groups - caused this effort to be nearly stopped in its tracks. Thus, it initiative may not reach fruition for years - if ever. In the meantime, Americans can use the above method of stopping junk mail. And, by law, the U.S. Postal Service cannot put obstacles in your way.

   c. Use of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) preference services to opt out of mailings is somewhat successful but not all advertisers belong to the DMA. Many of these nonmembers are the disreputable companies that you want to eliminate the most. Too, the DMA preference list is a blanket application. The mail customer may not want to stop all advertisements, just certain, select pieces of commercial advertising. The DMA charges $1.00 for this service; this service should be free.

   d. The following is from Senator Carl Levin’s (D-MI) website:

   “Unsolicited commercial mail can be not only irritating to many, but also extremely wasteful. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 44% of the junk mail we receive enters the waste stream before it has ever been opened or read. In fact, according to the EPA, junk mail produces over 4 million tons (that’s TONS) of solid waste every year. Many constituents have written or called me to complain about the amount of junk mail they receive. While eliminating junk mail entirely is not a simple task, there are ways to reduce the flow to your home.”

   Note: One of Senator Levin’s “ways” to reduce junk mail is the method described herein, albeit with much less detail.

7. Acme Fixer Says:
   November 11th, 2007 at 4:43 am

   Don’t bother with the USPS form 1500, it’s easier to ask the company to stop sending the mail. Most mailers have a website that you can visit and request to have your address taken off their mailing list. Or you can usually send the junk mail or a request back to the company. Or even a phone call will take care of the problem.

   I have been on Junkbusters and other websites and I have yet to find one that will allow me to post my continuing junk mail horror story in a comment. This is my first. I have been thru junk mail hell for the last four or five years. I have finally got most of it stopped, with the exception of TWC. I have not one but _two_ prohibitory orders against Time Warner Cable (TWC). I also received notice that the USPS served them a complaint after they continued to send flyers in violation of the prohibitory orders. And TWC are _still_ sending me flyers in violation, after receiving the complaint! So in _my_ limited experience the prohibitory order doesn’t work and is a waste of time. That’s because you _must_ send every violation back to the USPS, along with a copy of your prohibitory order, or else they never know that there is a violation. It’s better to deal with the mailing company directly.

   I would like to tell others about my junk mail experiences. I thought about starting a blog. But I think more people would read about it if it was on a more heavily trafficked website like Junkbusters. Thanks. If you have any info my Yahoo email address is acmefixer

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