In a recent five-day period, I received 16 pieces of mail primarily from non-profit organizations seeking donations. That isn’t even a record. One day not long ago I had nearly that many in one day.
The recent mailings included three calendars and one large survey in a 10 x 12 envelope. Most came from environmental organizations, which makes me even less happy about the waste associated with these mailings. Two of those environmental organizations sent me two pieces of mail within those five days. I can’t afford to donate to even one organization every week, let alone 16.
One of the environmental organizations I’ve belonged to since 1995 referred to a previous mailing a couple weeks ago where I was “invited” by the president of the organization to become a life member for $1,000—roughly the amount I contribute to all charities for a year. They were reminding me of this great offer. The next day I had mail from the same group requesting I renew my regular membership. Not until we have a talk about the hypocrisy of them killing trees by constantly sending me beg mail.
I resent the huge amount of waste associated with all these mailings. I’d already received calendars and desk calendars from other environment groups. While I support their mission, I’ve decided not to donate any more to them unless they agree to send me solicitations only twice a year. I haven’t looked forward to trying to call each of them to ask to be removed from their mailing list, and trying a couple of times I got no answer. They obviously sell names and addresses to each other, or I wouldn’t be receiving so many.
Fran Alexander recently wrote in an opinion piece in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette that said the environmental impact of these products is huge.
“Paper from downed trees, inks from dubious chemicals, and plastics from fossil fuels are pumped into products by factories and laborers around the globe,” Alexander wrote. “Then shiploads cross oceans, trucks and trains spread stuff around, and postal services deliver to our doorsteps – all consuming fuel and emitting pollution. For what? The landfill?”
Alexander gave a list of some of the unwanted junk she has received: Nickels, dimes, pennies, ballpoint pens, lapel pins, note pads, stationery, fancy certificates of appreciation (yuck – would anyone really hang these on their wall?), seeds (China again?), beer koozies, DVDs, huge envelopes, magnet-backed business ads, chip bag clips, plastic Xmas ornaments, desk-ready plastic appreciation “awards,” stickers, miniature Tibetan prayer flags, and more address labels (enough now for seven lifetimes at the same address).
“Most of these things aren’t even single-use,” Alexander said. “They are of no use. They trash the world in their making and become garbage upon arrival.”
It seems like the amount of unwanted mail has mushroomed with the pandemic. I’ve had enough and recently have gone on strike and refused to send even my usual once-a-month donation to a national charity. But there are other solutions that I’m trying in an attempt to stem the flow of trash in my mailbox.
According to the U.S. Post Office, if you do not wish to pay for unsolicited merchandise or make a donation to a charity sending such an item, you can mark it “Return to Sender,” and the USPS will return it with no charge to you.
There is another step that can be taken. Go to the website DMAchoice.org. For $2 for ten years, you can register to opt out of these kinds of solicitations.
“DMAchoice™ is an online tool developed to help you manage your mail,” the company’s website states. “As a nonprofit organization, we provide this service to help consumers express their marketing preferences to businesses. Direct mail is divided into four categories: Credit Offers, Catalogs, Magazine Offers and Other Mail Offers. You can request to start or stop receiving mail from an entire category or opt out from all.”
DMAchoice says direct marketing generates more than $2 trillion in sales and charitable donations each year in the U.S. “But we know that for direct marketing to remain successful, marketers must maintain a healthy relationship with consumers,” DMAchoice states. “That healthy relationship starts by giving you the opportunity to tell us what your mail preferences are—and then ensuring our members and others to respect those choices.”
I gladly paid my $2 and opted out of all unsolicited mailings. It takes 60-90 days to take effect and I’m afraid it won’t cover organizations that I am a member of. Meanwhile, I’m going to mark “Return to Sender” on the calendars and surveys. I’m also going to keep trying to call the few non-profits that I will continue to support and ask them to only send me solicitations twice a year. Mostly I prefer to donate to the local charities that do such a great job supporting our community.