A Word About Recycling

Today, we will take time to address an item taken from a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) newsletter. It concerns something that I am quite sure annoys many of us: Junk Mail. (However, I’m also quite sure the advertisers who send it out, wouldn’t agree.)

The article started off with three questions: 1) Are you tired of the junk mail madness? 2) How much paper is being wasted? 3) What can you do about it?

I believe the answer to the first question goes without comment. The answer to the second question may be more than you think. “According to research from the Center for Development of Recycling, each U.S. household receives around 40 pounds of junk mail annually. This equates to more than 4 million tons from over 77 billion pieces of junk mail each year. Most of this ends up in our landfills!” (Although we hope you recycle yours.)

As for the answer to the third question, TCEQ offers several suggestions. First they list some email addresses that may help you to not get as much unwanted mail: A prescreen service, OptOutPrescreenService. com; the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service, DMAchoice. theDMA.org; and the Direct Mail National Do Not Mail List, DirectMail.com/ mail_preference.

They also offer other options. For example, many of the businesses and organizations you work/correspond with have an e-mail you can ask them to use instead of sending paper. When ordering something or donating to a charity, write on their form “Please do not share or sell my information.” (Personal note: I haven’t been doing that and this suggestion really hit home as I donated to a charity new to me, and suddenly received at least a dozen requests for a donation from similar sounding charities… of course, they ended up in my recycle bin.)

For more prestigious ‘First-Class’ type undesired mail, writing “Return to Sender—Refused by Addressee” on the envelope may work. For bulk type mail, check if they list an 800 number, and if they do, take a moment to call them and advise them they can save money by not sending anything to you. (Personal note, if they send a postage paid return envelope, I return it with a note stating that.)

(Another personal note: When I receive a request from a new charity, I include a note stating that although it sounds like a worthy cause, I will not donate anything until I receive a statement from them showing how much of a donation goes for the cause and how much for administration and advertising. Most do not respond… but one that did was enlightening. They mentioned they took in about $31 million last year and spent $29 million for their expenses. So at least $2 million went for the cause!)

Enough for today, but since early voting has started in Texas, please vote in this important election. Vote for the candidates who you feel will do the best job for you, our community/ state, and the nation… but please vote.