I hate junk mail

And I may have found a way to stop it from being delivered to me. Or at least a way to stop most of it. Some Haas kids started up a new service at www.greendimes.com. For three bucks a month, they will stop your junk mail and plant a tree in your name. For $36.00 you get no junk mail for a year and twelve trees. A bargain, in my opinion.

How does it work? Here's how they explain the service:

"We’ve built a database of all the major direct marketing companies (aka junk mailers) and we send a request to remove your name and address from their mailing lists. These companies are required to remove you from their marketing lists. Also, using the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act we direct them not to sell, share, or trade your personal information with other companies. Then, to make sure they don’t put you back on their lists, we’ll check up on them regularly."

Needless to say, I'm excited. I hope this service will decrease the amount of time I waste shredding the billions of pre-approved credit card offers I get each week. And for those of you who have argued with me that credit-related junk mail does not pose a threat of identity theft, the greendime people also have this to say:

"One of the most popular ways to steal your identity is to take mail from your mailbox and use the personal information inside the junk letters such as credit card offers."

Really, you should get yourself a shredder. Or at least sign up for this service.