KPLU Seattle NPR -- Seattle Council Considers "Do Not Mail" Resolution
,January 24th, 2010
When you sort your mail and dump a
fistful of catalogs, credit card offers and coupon booklets into the
recycling bin, have you ever thought, "What a waste of paper?" Seattle
City Council President Richard Conlin feels your pain.
"From the
city's perspective, it becomes garbage that we have to dispose of, and
we have to pay for disposing of it," he says. "And even if it's
recycled, recycling still isn't as good as not having it in the waste
stream at all."
Conlin says exact numbers aren't available, but
he estimates Seattle residents dispose of several million pounds of
junk mail each year. He's proposing a council resolution that asks the
state to create a registry along the lines of the popular "Do Not Call"
list. He says a "Do Not Mail" list would save the city money and reduce
waste.