Reducing unwanted mail from your mailbox is the best way to reduce waste.

Reprint from DuPage County Recycling Guide,"Unwanted advertising mail can be reycled through most recycling programs."

Reducing mail from its original source is the best option. Listed below are a variety of options you have to reduce the unwanted mail that shows up in your mailbox.

1. National Mail - If you want to reduce most of the national mail you receive, register all forms of your name with:

Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008
212-768-7277
www.the-dma.org

Registering your name and address with this organization may reduce the amount of national mail you receive by 75% within two to three months.

2. Resident or Occupant Mail - If you do not wish to receive packets of coupons, ads and products samples addressed to Resident or Occupant, you may contact the following major companies to request that your name be removed from their mailing lists:

ADVO, Inc.
List Service Supervisor
West Service Road
Hartford, CT 06120
860-520-3200

Carol Wright Gifts
Customer Service
P.O. Box 8503
Lincoln, NE 68544
402-474-5174

Harte Hanks Direct Marketing
List Maintenance
100 Alco Place
Baltimore, MD 21227-2090
410-636-3394

Val-Pak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc.
Postal Affairs
P.O. Box 93505
Las Vegas, NV 89193-3505
702-248-9600
(Please note: Val-Pak requests that you return the front of the Val-Pak mailing envelope with your request)

3. Credit Card Applications - If you do not wish to receive pre-approved credit card applications, call the 24-hour automated Opt-Out Request Line at 888-567-8688 or 800-353-0809. The Opt-Out line allows you to exclude your name from several lists of pre-screened credit reports.


4. America On-Line Discs
- If you do not wish to receive America On-Line Discs, call 888-265-8003 to remove your name from the mailing list.

5. Sweepstakes Notifications - If you do not wish to receive mail from Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, call 800-645-9242. In addition you may call American Family Sweepstakes at 800-237-2400 to remove your name from the mailing list.


6. Duplicate Subscription - If you are receiving multiple copies of magazines or catalogues, write to the organization and ask them to send only one copy. Often, duplicate copies are sent due to mailing label variations.