Gloria Chan: Stop Getting Junk Mail

Most of us receive junk mail every day. Imagine a lifetime full of unwanted mail in the form of credit applications, advertisements and catalogues filling up your mailbox. It is a huge waste of our natural resources and our time.

It takes more than 100 million trees and more than 28 billion gallons of water to produce just one year's worth of this country's junk mail. And if that is not enough, we end up paying out of our pockets more than $320 million for the disposal of the unwanted solicitations.

Here's some good news: In a mass effort to put a stop to this waste of resources, time and money, 110 Bay Area cities and counties have joined forces to sponsor a junk mail reduction campaign. The campaign focuses on easy ways Bay Area residents can substantially reduce junk mail at home and at work.

The campaign distributes a free Stop Junk Mail kit. The kit helps make sure consumers' address information isn't traded, rented or sold to companies who send unwanted mail. The kit also provides addresses and phone numbers of consumer privacy organizations and provides other important information on how to contact service providers, such as banks, insurance or wireless companies, to ask them to stop sending you promotional mail.

At the office, sifting through piles of junk mail to get to important mail can be just as bothersome. If you run a business, there are additional steps you can take to reduce junk mail. When you receive catalogs, advertising flyers or other offers from companies that you do not do business with, ask them to remove your address from their list.

And when submitting purchase orders, registrations for classes, conferences and subscriptions, be sure to include a statement about preventing waste and protecting privacy by not adding your address to mailing lists.

If your business maintains databases or mail lists, be protective of your clients. Be very selective about how you use their data and offer your clients the option of their personal information not being distributed. Your clients will appreciate your respect for their privacy, as well as the conscious conservation effort.

Also, reduce waste and conserve resources by keeping your mailing lists up to date. With a few easy steps, stopping junk mail can be much easier than you might think. Bay Area residents can get the free Stop Junk Mail Kit today by calling, toll-free, 877-STOPWASTE (786-7927). You can also download the kit, or take immediate online action, from the campaign Web site www.StopJunkMail.org.

So get the junk mail out of your life. You'll save money and time and keep the trees where they belong: in the forest.

A spokesperson for SF Environment, Gloria Chan gets way too much junk mail. Learn more about how SF Environment is protecting and preserving the City's environmental well-being at www.sfenvironment.com, visit the EcoCenter at 11 Grove St., or call (415) 355-3700.