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

From: Declan McCullagh (declan@private)
Date: Tue Apr 27 2004 - 09:25:38 PDT

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    -------- 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@private>
    To: Declan McCullagh <declan@private>
    
    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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