Junk mail - College and University Article

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By:Lee Young

Much like that persistent pink rabbit with the drum kit we see on television, it keeps coming, and coming, and coming. It's always there, Monday through Saturday, week in and week out, through rain, sleet and even snow.

It, of course, is junk mail! That incessant stream of printed matter soliciting your hard-earned dollars for the latest cause of the moment or the "Sale of the Century." Not only does junk mail waste your precious time, but it is also waste that typically takes up precious space in your local landfill.

Did you recently ask if you could put yourself on lots of mailing lists (with companies you don't even know the names of) and deliberately put in a plea for more junk mail (aka "business bulk mail")? Did you also volunteer to create more waste for your local government so the current statewide disposal rate of one ton per second Californian jumps up a notch?

Probably not, at least not willingly. Chances are, however, you unwittingly did these things if you recently ordered something from a catalog, sent a check to a charity, responded to an ad offer, used your credit card, subscribed to a new magazine, bought a new appliance and filled out the warranty card or even just had your name added to the phone book.

How do all of these things tie together? Direct-marketing companies, credit bureaus and credit-card companies, warranty card recipients and mailing list brokers are probably as interested in the business of renting, selling or trading your name, address and/or phone number to others as they are in selling you something or giving you credit.

When you realize the latest dream contest you entered was really a ruse to add your name to still more mailing lists just so you can waste even more precious time reading still more junk mail, you know its time to take action.

What can you do? You could move, but they would find you. You could change your name, but what a hassle, and your parents might not be to crazy about it. Though you may feel hopeless wading through the marketer's pleas, there is hope.

Though it is not easy to get off of mailing lists, it's not impossible. Call 800 numbers in catalogs and ask to be taken off their mailing lists. Contact specific organizations or businesses with your request for removal, but be sure to include the mailing label so they can identify how you are listed in their files. More drastic -- some might say empowering -- approaches include taking the unopened envelope and scrawl "refused, return to sender" on it and let the sender pay for postage twice. They will eventually get the message, or go broke paying for letters to themselves.

Other tips for staying off phone lists (which quickly become mailing lists) include not putting your phone number on checks and having an unlisted number.

One simple way to reduce overall mail burden by halting the spreading of your name to other mailing lists is to write to the following address: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008. Ask them to place your name in the "suppress" file. This will not take your name off existing mailing lists, but it will keep you from being added to new ones for five years.

Credit bureaus have been known to sell names and addresses to banks and credit card companies. Here are the addresses to three of the largest credit bureaus:

Equifax Options, Equifax Marketing Decisions Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta, GA 30374-0123.

Trans Union, Transmark, Inc., 555 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL 60661.

TRW-NCAC, Att: Mail Preference Service, Target Marketing Services Division, 12606 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75243.

When you buy a new product, don't fill out the warranty card. They are typically solely a means to gather names for direct-mail lists. Typically, you are covered by the warranty whether the card is returned or not.

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Feel free to contact one of the largest warranty card companies and asked to be removed from their list: National Demographics & Lifestyles, List Order Services, 1621 18th St, #300, Denver, CO 80202.

Here are some additional culprits in the business of direct-mail lists. Write them at: (1) Donnelley Marketing, 1235 N. Ave., Nevada, IA 50201-1419; (2) Metro Mail Corporation, 901 W. Bond, Lincoln, NB 68521; (3) R.L. Polk and Company, List Services Division, 6400 Monroe Boulevard, Taylor, MI 48180; (4) Haines and Company, Inc., Pat Garner, 8050 Freedom Ave. NW, North Canton, OH 44720.

One has to be patient in the battle against junk mail. It took years to build these lists. It will take a while -- up to six months -- before you will notice a reduction.

For additional information call the California Integrated Waste Management Board's hotline: (800) 553-2962.