Berkeley Takes A Stand Against Unsolicited Mail

BERKELEY (KCBS) – Some East Bay residents will finally have a way to stop unsolicited mail from reaching their mail boxes.

A new program launched by the city of Berkeley will allow residents the choice of whether to receive the junk mail.

Chuck Teller, executive director of Berkeley-based Catalog Choice, said 3,000 residents have already signed up for the free, opt-out service.

"If you're a resident of the city of Berkeley, you can sign up for an account at www.catalogchoice.org," he said. "You can get a focused view of how to use the service through the city of Berkeley."

KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:

Teller said residents can log on to the website and list the companies whose junk mail they no longer want to receive.

Berkeley is one of five communities in the United States that is implementing this type of program, which falls in line with the city's Zero Waste goals.

"By stopping at the source, we can do this for a fraction of the cost that it takes to send a truck to your house, pick up the garbage and then dispose of it," said Teller.

Catalog Choice is targeting catalogs, phone books, credit card applications and other unwanted mailers. Teller said other Bay Area cities have also expressed an interest in the opt-out service.

Click here for the Catalog Choice website.

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