Breakin' the Law - Practicing Illegal Recycling

It's with a heavy heart that we discovered something about ourselves this morning. The realization was a simple: we're a bunch of lawbreaking crooks.

Activist supporters? Sure. Guilty as charged. But criminals? We have no doubt supported a number of activists whose direct-action approach has landed them in jail (think Buffalo Field Campaign ). And it's true; we'll post bail for employees arrested during non-violent peaceful  protests, provided they've completed activist training with the Ruckus Society.

But criminals? Us?

Apparently so. You see, we recycle a LOT of boxes. And as we learned this morning, that innocent little gesture toward a healthy, happy earth is . . . well, it's against federal regulations.

That last sentence sounds so silly, I'm tempted to go back and delete it. But as they say in the Stand-Up (comedy) business: you can't make this stuff up.

Here's a quick excerpt from today's story on Denver, Colorado's Channel 7 news site:

A Colorado man says he was accused of violating postal regulations for reusing a United States Postal Service priority mail cardboard box to send something.

Gary Adler said he was just recycling a box that was going to be thrown in the trash, but according to the Postal Service that kind of repurposing is not allowed.

“We recycle old boxes that we get at the grocery store or other merchants and dumpster dive sometimes,” said Adler.

Adler uses the boxes to mail sports memorabilia for his non-profit organization called Pro-Players Association. . . . But the Postal Service said what Adler did is against postal regulations.

Read the full story here. While you're there, take the Denver News Channel 7 survey and check out the latest results to see what others think. And what the hey . . . drop by the website of our friends at the USPS, check out their policy page and maybe drop them a line and let 'em know what you think. But whatever you do, please don't tell them you saw this photographic evidence on our blog of us actively preparing to re-use all these boxes *gasp*!

[Top to bottom: Dirty proof of illicit activity - boxes finding new life and uses at our Reno Distribution center. Photos: localcrew]

Comments

[Squirrel Girl]

Wow, hard to believe it is a federal offense to reuse a cardboard box to mail something. Looks like the survey on the Denver News website says that most people think that way too: At the moment it is over 14,000 to 800 in favor of reusing boxes. Maybe the post office should take a clue from that and lighten up this ridiculous policy.

[BT]

The government always seems to ruin a good thing. When will it end.

[Granola Girl]

I wish I could say that this surprises me.

[ASH]

I would agree that this policy borders on the absurd. However it is worth making the distinction that USPS does not have any problem with reuuse of boxes that were not originally USPS branded Priority or Express packaging. The problem seems to be that they are trying to deal with providing this packaging free of charge in the customer area of post offices. They wrap the cost of packaging into shipping charges and have no way of telling if the box is a new box grabbed from some PO, and simply turned inside out, or in actuality reused. It does seem like an area of their business that could be tweaked for both a better public image and functional use of materials. Anyone have suggestions?

[ConBioAdam]

This is exactly the kind of backwards thinking that has lead us to the position we're in with respect to resource use (or should I say misuse). The policy is silly, agreed, but I'm not totally surprised.

[Jim]

It's absolutely backwards but they are trying to prevent being the supplier of free boxes to the universe (though somehow FEDEX has figured it out...?).
HOWEVER, the answer is simple and "a close friend who shall remain anonymous" has been doing it for years. Simply cut the box on one edge and turn it inside out. Voila! New box and no logos. Those boxes are held pretty tightly these days anyway so I'm not sure there's a reason for any limitation on use but, until they change their mind, we've got to use ours! Be the fox.

[That Guy]

Build the best product, do no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
–Patagonia's Mission Statement

So... What is "necessary harm"?

Guerilla conservation: plant a displacement vehicle in the tank of a toilet today ;)
Today: war in Iraq for oil.
Tomorrow: war in Canada for water.

[CM]

When I was living in NY this one post office would make me wrap all my boxes in brown paper cause the boxes were reused. I thought it had to do with logos on the boxes but a few had no logos. Now living in CA I still ship in reused boxes and haven't been asked once to wrap my boxes in brown paper. So strange...right?