We are cautious about recycling at our house. While we have a curbside collection of many recyclables, we know that the program is flawed and that many items placed in curbside recycling bins end up in landfills. As a result, we sort carefully. We pay for an additional recycling service that offers recycling of items that are not recycled through the curbside system, including plastic film, multi-layered plastics, clamshell plastic containers, medicine bottles, light bulbs, batteries, and other items. Like most of our neighbors, we are concerned about human impact on the environment and are trying to do what we can to protect and preserve the natural world for generations to come.

As part of our environmental concern, we have researched organizations that work for environmental justice and have programs to protect and preserve natural areas. Little did we realize that our research into ecological protection organizations would conflict with our attempts to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but we have a dilemma.

Every day, when we pick up our mail, we quickly sort. More than half of the mail we receive is unwanted and unsolicited. When we walked in from the mailbox, we had a stack of envelopes headed straight for the paper recycling bin. However, some items come in the mail that contaminate paper recycling, so we find ourselves opening unwanted letters and sorting their contents. Items that we cannot find a way to recycle end up in regular garbage and are bound for landfills.

I know this is the wrong forum for this communication, and I have already sent this message to several organizations; here is one of my current complaints.

Dear organization,
It may come as a surprise to you, but I don’t need any more address labels. I have so many unused labels that they are creating a storage problem for me. I try to use them whenever I write letters, and I write many more letters and send many more cards than many of my acquaintances. Still, the labels keep coming quicker than I can use them. I estimate that I have a box in my study with more labels than I can use in the next ten years, and while I expect to live more than ten additional years, the day will come when the labels exceed my ability to use them in my lifetime.

Let’s take a look at the problem. From my perspective, I don’t know what to do with all of the labels. If I put them into my paper recycling, the microplastics they contain can end up in animal bedding and compost material. Our planet already has too much microplastic pollution. It eventually ends up in our food stream. Researchers say that animals and humans now have microplastics in our bodies. The entire health effects of that pollution are yet to be understood, but it seems prudent to interrupt the stream of such items into the environment.

In addition, the adhesives in the labels can create problems for paper recyclers. They jam machines, cause excessive wear and tear, and raise the cost of recycling.

I am distressed by the idea that I am contributing to increased waste, and the waste I generate has my name stamped on it. Remember, I didn’t choose to order the labels or ask to have my name printed on adhesive-backed microplastics.

Let's also look at the problem from your point of view. Sending me address labels is not causing me to donate more to your organization. It is having the opposite effect. We have limited funds, so we are strategic in our donations. While we donate a significant portion of our income to charitable organizations, we want our donations to be effective. Nothing makes us feel less like donating than having an organization waste the money it has pursuing donations. Please don’t spend our donations on sending us more address labels.

I know we aren’t the only ones who have this problem. I see return address labels on the cards and letters I receive from my friends. Some of these friends have beautiful handwriting, and I treasure their letters. They can write their return addresses on envelopes and used to do so before their homes became overwhelmed with address labels sent to them by organizations.

In the last month, I have received address labels from your organization and several others. I have also received membership renewal letters and even membership cards from organizations I have never been a member of. These organizations are getting my address from some source. You might do more with my address than print and mail labels to me. I’m pretty sure you are sharing my name and address with other organizations that publish and distribute address labels.

I’m trying to be creative in my approach to this problem. There are a few household repairs where address labels can be used as a substitute for tape. I suppose they would work for wrapping presents. I’ve allowed my grandchildren to use them as stickers for craft projects, even though I don’t think their artwork should have my name. I also am teaching them to sign their artwork with a pencil or pen. I want them to practice writing their names in hopes that one day, they will grow up and be free from organizations that send them address labels. However, using the labels as tape does have its limitations. They aren’t stretchy, nor do they have the insulating properties of electrical tape. The adhesive is no match for duct tape. The labels are too small for many of the necessary patches and repairs.

Please note that I’ve included a dozen address labels in this letter. If you’ve forgotten who is writing to you, one is beneath my signature. Note that I have removed the labels from the coated backing paper on which you sent them to me. I’ve done so because that paper should not be put into regular paper recycling. After all, the coating on the paper contains microplastics and can cause contamination. Since I’m sure this letter will end up in your recycling, I’ll try to make it earth-friendly.