Stop receiving junk mail!

Fed up of junk mail? I am! Here's how you can reduce it!

When the bulk of your mail is junk, it makes you question how many trees were cut down just to be thrown out.  And to make matters worse, my mail box is not only filled with my junk mail, but that for the previous two tenants despite efforts to “return to sender”.

In order to help you go green and stop the insanity that is junk mail, here are some quick and easy steps you can take.

First things first, we need to make a distinction about the 2 types of junk mail; addressed and unaddressed.  Addressed mail (admail as referred to by direct marketers) is addressed to you with your name and address. This is because you appear on a mailing list somewhere.  Unaddressed mail, is pure junk, usually in the form of grocery store flyers, flyers from realtors and anything else that is unsolicited.

Call Canada Post at 1-866-607-6301 to stop receiving unaddressed mail

In Canada:

Unaddressed mail:

1. Put a NO JUNK MAIL sign on your mailbox.
2. Download this letter and mail it to Canada Post to get your name removed from the unaddressed mail distribution list.
3. Check out the Red Dot Campaign a Canadian campaign to stop junk mail
4. If, despite having mailed this letter to Canada Post, you still receive flyers (please note  they are required by law to deliver anything from the city or government) call Canada Post at 1 866-607-6301 and make a complaint. You should stop receiving it within 2 days.

Addressed mail:

1. Register with the Canadian Marketing Association’s “Do Not Contact” registry. This will reduce the amount of marketing offers received by mail, telephone and fax.
2. Contact that organization that is mailing you and asked to be removed from their mailing list. In accordance with the Canadian Government, they must do this within 6 months. Should they not, you might be able to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissionerthanks to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) if you feel the privacy of your information is at stake.
3. While you’re at it, get off the Yellow Pages mailing list as well.

In the United States:

To my American friends, there unfortunately does not exist a national DO NOT MAIL REGISTRY and there are thousands of independent direct mailing companies. However, here are 7 things you can do to help cut down on junk mail.

1. Put a NO JUNK MAIL sign on your mailbox.
2. Fill out the DO NOT MAIL form which will at least take your name off some of the biggest junk mailers list.
3. Check out DO NOT MAIL to participate in numerous petitions andCare2 for other examples.
4. Register with the Direct Marketing Association to have your name taken off prospect lists.
5. Stop receiving credit card offers by contacting the four main credit unions (Equifax, TransUnion, Experian and Innovis) in one fast swoop by calling 1 (888) 5 OPTOUT.
6. Contact USPS to see if there is anything else you can (things might improve since my post).
7. While you’re at it, get off the Yellow Pages mailing list as well.

Hope fully, this article will help reduce your junk mail. If you find another solution, please leave a comment to let us all know about it.