Not only are advertising flyers widely unpopular, they’re also abundant.
This is one of the findings in a new report by Halifax's Ecology Action Centre, which says residents in the city receive a combined 2.2 million pounds of advertising mail annually.
Coun. Lisa Blackburn of Halifax’s District 14 said she receives many calls from residents who are frustrated with the number of flyers they receive in the mail.
"Even after they called and requested that delivery be stopped, [flyers] still arrived on the doorstep," Blackburn told CTV Atlantic.
But the Ecology Action Centre’s research finds that a simple tool works wonders when it comes to unwanted ad mail: stickers.
The two-month study surveyed ad mail received from 10 homes in the Halifax-area -- half of which had "no flyers" stickers visible.
Homes without the stickers received 26 pounds of ad mail per year, while homes with the stickers received less than one pound in flyers.
So far, the Ecology Action Centre has given out roughly 7,500 stickers that read, "No Flyers Please," which the centre says has saved nearly 20,000 trees.
In a written statement, Canada Post said it respects "no flyers" stickers, or a simple and visible note.
Looking ahead, Blackburn asked council’s environment and sustainability committee to file a report on the flyer problem in early August, "to explore the possibility of having flyers be an opt-in rather than an opt-out service," she told CTV Atlantic.
The motion was passed, and Blackburn said she’s hoping for the completed report later this fall.
With a report from CTV Atlantic
