SF Dept. of the Environment: Stopping Junk Mail

Unwanted mail can really be tiresome. Have you ever returned from a vacation to find a mound of mail, most of it solicitations and catalogues?

Junk mail is a waste - a huge waste of natural resources and your time. Each year, the average American home receives 1.5 trees in their mailbox in the form of unsolicited mail. That adds up to more than 100 million trees cut down and more than 28 billion gallons of water consumed to produce one year's worth of this country's junk mail. In fact, every year Americans pay more than $320 million simply to dispose of the huge amounts of junk mail we get.

In an effort to put a stop to this waste of time, money and resources, the 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 is distributing a Stop Junk Mail kit to help consumers contact companies so that their name won't be traded, rented or sold to companies who send unwanted mail. The kit also provides addresses and phone numbers of organizations set up to protect consumer privacy and provides other important information on how to reduce junk mail, including contacting service providers such as banks, insurance or wireless companies and asking them to stop sending you promotional mail.

Really, stopping junk mail might 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, at www.StopJunkMail.org.

If you run a business, there are additional steps you can take to reduce junk mail at the office. 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' privacy. Be very selective about how you use data and offer your clients the option of not having their information distributed. 

Learn more about SF Environment at www.sfenvironment.com, visit the EcoCenter at 11 Grove St. or call (415) 355-3700.