Thanks for Shopping with Us. Where Can I Send Your Junk Mail?

Couple of days ago, I recycled my moving boxes to someone through craigslist - Good environmentalist/Samaritan [√]. Now that I have some room in my apartment I decided to go shopping. And I can’t remember which store I was at, but they asked for my zip code.

My zip code? Seems harmless enough. They don’t really ask for anything else – maybe they’re just gathering some location demographics. Okay…or maybe they’re compiling all that info, so they know where to target their next set of junk mail. 

I felt kind of uncomfortable asking a hard working cashier about it. Let me check online… hard to get a straight answer.  You know what?  I shouldn’t have to research around or bother a cashier. They should have a little sign (not too little) that informs the public that when they ask for a zip, they won’t solicit through the mail.

It still bothered me. So I started talking to one my coworkers, and he wasn’t sure. But he started talking about all the junk mail he receives because he buys online, and he how he’s slowed down his online purchases.  Yeah that’s true. I’m very wary about buying online too, and I buy less! I would probably even enter a sweepstakes now and again, but I’m so afraid of the all of junk I would receive, I never enter.

So here’s what else I want, next to where you enter your billing address, there’s a checkbox that asks you if it’s okay to solicit you further in the mail.

It’s going to be hard to get through to these companies. That’s why it’s important that you sign the GreenDimes “Do Not Mail Me” Petition. Even having our legislative body’s finest just talk about it will incite action and make companies more responsible.

Junk Mail Pest Control,

Sanjiv