Do you like to receive junk mail?
What is junk mail? The USPS officially categorizes it as “marketing mail” but the more accurate definition is: “Unsolicited mail promoting, through an offering of some form or structure, goods and services for public or private enterprise, political, or social causes”. The key word is “UNSOLITICED”.
Does anyone like to receive junk mail? Are you thrilled
every time you receive your mail knowing most of it is trash? Do you enjoy the
process of sorting thru junk mail and throwing literally tons of paper away
each year? Does junk mail create unnecessary waste in a world of ever focus on
conservation? Does junk mail make any sense to you? What if I told you junk
mail is contributing to the global warming phenomenon?
Eye Opening Facts about junk mail:
- Each year over 100 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered by USPS
- Equates to more than 4 million tons of paper – that’s 8 billion pounds – an 8 followed by 9 zeros
- That’s a staggering 300 pieces per person
- That equates to over 100 million trees being harvested for paper for junk mail
- Generates CO2 equivalent to more than 2,000,000 automobiles
- Many sources estimate junk mail at 90% of consumer daily mail
So why do we get junk mail? Especially in an internet and
email world where customers are just a “click” away? After all, isn’t marketing
thru the internet virtually free?
The answer comes from the producers of junk mail. Namely,
Companies with products or services to sell that want to reach directly to
prospective customers of their products or services. Or charities seeking
direct contact with prospective donors. Or politicians looking for financial or
other support. The list goes on and on but essentially any person or business
looking for direct marketing solutions as a means of generating interest in their
product or service currently finds creating junk mails pieces as the most
effective way of reaching its customers or consumers because the cost is so low.
Businesses using bulk mail (junk mail) approaches readily admit that the
majority of their mail pieces are thrown into the trash without a look. But
they have discovered that the act of getting the mail from the mailbox and
going thru it, requires the consumer to “touch” the mail piece and that act in
itself is often more effective than simply “deleting” all of your “promotion”
emails in one click. So “gross waste” is inherent in the system of direct mail through
the USPS…but no one cares. It takes roughly 3 pieces of junk mail to equal the
contribution of one first class piece of mail according to the USPS. Certainly,
the USPS thinks they need the revenue. And the users are not going to push for
higher costs when what they have is apparently working.
The USPS by virtue of pricing junk mail below what it
actually costs, is providing the lowest cost avenue that businesses can use to
reach its customers and target audiences. And in the end, the US taxpayer is
paying for the USPS deficits and thereby indirectly subsidizing a failed
business plan of the USPS and in the process contributing to global warming. If
junk mail postage were to cost what it actually costs, it is highly unlikely than
businesses would choose this method of customer contact.
So, what’s the answer?
Stop subsidizing business with cheap, below cost postage. Make
the USPS charge its junk mail customers what it actually costs to mail junk
mail. If first class mail in fact costs 60 cents, then other similar mail
pieces should cost the same. Currently bulk mail rates can go as low as half of
first class. I predict that if USPS raised its rates to comparable first class
rates, that almost overnight, the junk mail phenomenon would drop significantly
as other means of direct outreach would be sought by those businesses currently
generating junk mail.
What about the USPS? The USPS has problems for sure. USPS
lost $4.9 billion in 2021 on revenue of $79.6 billion. Marketing Mail (junk
mail) accounted for $14.6 billion of revenue. But seeking revenue by subsidizing
its bulk customers will not solve the problems USPS have.
THE ANSWER: Raise the costs of mail to what it needs to be
and at the same time force USPS to adjust their business to a more efficient operation. Let capitalism
drive a better solution. And help save the planet by eliminating a measurable contributor
to global warming – JUNK MAIL.
And ask yourself the following questions: Why isn’t anyone in
government talking about this ridiculously wasteful issue that nearly everybody agrees with? Are we that dumb that in the 21st century we tolerate, and accept, junk mail with all of its unqestionable negative impact to the environment along with the inherent waste of everyone's time? Stop subsidizing junk mail. Or are we all just plain DUMB?
Sources: USPS, NY TIMES, Product Stewardship Institute, NPR –
State Impact Report – New Hampshire
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