It should be easy to stop junk mail

By Paul Burns
March 16, 2008

Each year, the direct mail industry sends Vermonters over 40 million pounds of junk mail or 64 pounds per person, with little regard to whether people actually want to receive their solicitations for credit cards, cable TV and the like.

Fortunately, Rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington, and 25 tri-partisan co-sponsors in the Vermont House have introduced H.409 to create an opt-in Do Not Mail registry, modeled after the very popular Do Not Call registry. Since 2003, the Do Not Call registry has provided more than 150 million people with a free and comprehensive way to end intrusive telemarketing calls. It is arguably the most popular consumer-rights bill ever passed.

We believe individuals should have a similar choice about receiving unsolicited mail. In 2006, America's mailboxes were stuffed with over 104 billion pieces...

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