Be
Heard.
Physical junk mail is still a loophole. People can unsubscribe from emails in seconds, but unwanted catalogs and marketing mail keep showing up with far less accountability. Lasting change will only happen when our federal government passes laws that force companies to send catalogs to only those who opt-in and to not sell customer's mailing information to other companies. Physical catalogs should be as easy to unsubscribe from as emails. Federal laws right now are very weak.
Send a letter to your Congressperson.
Here is a sample!
1. Look up your congressperson here: [Member of Congress Database]
2. Cut and paste the following into a new document and fill out your information.
3. Print & mail or email to let your elected leader know that you care about this issue!
[Date]
The Honorable [your congressperson]
[Address]
[City, State Zip]
Dear [Senator/Representative Last Name],
I am a constituent and a college student writing to ask you to address a major gap in consumer protection and environmental policy: unwanted physical junk mail. While email is regulated under the CAN-SPAM Act, there is no equivalent standard for physical mail. Companies can send unsolicited catalogs and promotional mail with far less accountability, even when individuals try to opt out.
This is not just an inconvenience. It is also an environmental and privacy issue. Unwanted mail creates paper waste, transportation emissions, and landfill waste, while consumers have too little control over how their mailing information is used and shared.
I urge you to support legislation that requires a clear and simple opt out for commercial mail, requires companies to honor those requests, and limits the sale or sharing of mailing data without meaningful consumer consent. Consumers should have the same basic rights over their physical mail as they do over their digital inbox.
Thank you for your time and consideration;
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City, State]