Calif. to require return postage on unsolicited CDs, DVDs?

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: For politech: Require postage paid envelopes for unsolicited 
CDs and DVDs in California?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 19:55:49 -0700
From: Thomas Leavitt <thomas () thomasleavitt org>
To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>

Declan,

 I have to say, this is just plain brilliant. Marketers will hate it, of
course, but when I think of the umpteen AOL (mostly) floppies, CDs, and now
DVDs I've gotten in the mail over the years and immediately tossed -
practically the only items I haven't been able to recycle - I can't help but
think this makes sense. I'd bet a lot of other people share the same
sentiment.

 I wrote my representative in support, and suggested that he have Assm.
Hancock include an exception to this legislation for items made of readily
recyclable materials as I hear that there is a paper DVD in the works (no
idea whether it is recyclable or not), as it would be a shame for such items
to be inadvertently caught up in the same net as the unrecyclable ones.

Regards,
Thomas Leavitt


http://cal-legalert.sierraclubaction.org/showalert.asp?aaid=651

Take action on unsolicited CDs in the mail today!

You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and
following the directions at the bottom.


AB 2166 - Unsolicited CDs

You know how AOL sends you its CDs even though you never requested them?
Almost all of the 40 to 300 million unsolicited CDs sent around the country
annually end up in landfills. Now a great new California bill, AB 2166, by
Assembly Member Loni Hancock would require companies like AOL to send
postage-paid return mailing envelopes or other cost-free mechanisms for the
recipient to return the unwanted CD or DVD to the sender.


A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.

RE: AB 2166 (Hancock)--SUPPORT

Dear Assembly Member Matthews,

I urge you to vote for AB 2166 when it comes before the Arts Committee. I am
sick of receiving unwanted CDs in the mail from companies like AOL. If these
companies want to continue sending their junk mail, they should have to
provide us with postage-paid return envelopes so we can keep unsolicited CDs
out of our landfills.

Voting for AB 2166 will show that you are willing to hold the generators of
solid waste responsible for their products.

Sincerely,
Your name and address here



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