In giving citizens the freedom not to receive unwanted mail solicitations from commercial marketers, would a Do Not Mail registry obstruct our responsibility to be informed, civic-minded citizens who can fully participate in our democracy?
No. The Do Not Call Registry allows exemptions for political campaigns and charities (as well as for companies with which the resident has an established business relationship). Do Not Mail could be modeled on the Do Not Call system and retain these exemptions. back top
What if I want to keep receiving mail (such as catalogs) from certain businesses?
The Do Not Call Registry allows exemptions for companies with which the resident has an established business relationship. The proposed Do Not Mail legislation in Vermont is modeled on Do Not Call in order to retain these exemptions. back top
Will an opt-out registry violate direct mailers’ 1st Amendment freedom of speech?
The 1970 Supreme Court case Rowan v. US Postal Service ruled that “a mailer's right to communicate must stop at the mailbox of an unreceptive addressee.” Articulating the majority’s opinion, Chief Justice Burger affirmed that an individual’s desire for privacy within her own domain is paramount:
"The Court has traditionally respected the right of a householder to bar, by order or notice, solicitors, hawkers, and peddlers from his property.... [W]e see no basis for according the printed word or pictures a different or more preferred status because they are sent by mail. The ancient concept that 'a man's home is his castle' into which 'not even the king may enter' has lost none of its vitality."
Yes, and many would be positive, especially for state and local government budgets (and their taxpayers). Citizens and local governments spend more than $370 million per year to collect and dispose of all the bulk mail that doesn’t get recycled. That’s a big taxpayer subsidy for marketers who can send mail and let someone else pick up the disposal tab! As landfills close and fuel costs skyrocket, these collection and disposal costs will only increase. Giving citizens the freedom to opt-out of unwanted ad mail is one way to reduce this problem.
More than 100 million trees’ worth of bulk mail arrives in American mail boxes each year – that’s the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months. In 2003, 5.4 million tons of catalogs and other direct mailings made their way into the U.S. municipal solid waste stream – enough to fill over 420,000 garbage trucks. As we all feel the pains of energy dependence, it’s also worth noting that junk mail is an extremely energy intensive proposition. The production and disposal of junk mail consumes more energy than 2.8 million cars.
How can I help get a Do Not Mail Opt-Out Registry passed in Vermont?
Representative Chris Pearson (P-Burlington) has introduced a bill (H.409), that will establish a voluntary Do No Mail Registry in Vermont. The bill already has dozens of co-sponsors and tri-partisan support. It would simply give Vermonters the freedom to say they no longer want to receive unwanted junk mail. If we hope to pass the bill this year, we need to move fast. So please contact your state representatives today and urge your friends to do the same!
You can also send a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper, expressing your frustration with the problem of junk mail and urging everyone to get behind the proposed Do Not Mail bill in the Vermont Legislature.
Currently, how can I remove my address from mailing lists?
There is no one-stop registry you can join to have your name removed from all direct mail lists. Removing yourself from all unwanted mailings is quite a feat – a sharp contrast from the easy-to-use Do Not Call telemarketer registry.
The bottom line is that Americans have a right to privacy from unwanted solicitations in their homes and they deserve an easy way to exercise that right that doesn’t entail spending precious time listening to numerous telephone recordings and precious money on numerous ‘please remove’ letters. Do Not Call provides a simple tool to opt-out of unwanted advertising calls; we deserve a companion tool for advertising mail. back top
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