I’m big on recycling and have been attempting to do my part for several years now. Truth be told, I even love roaming countless thrift and consignment shops to purchase clothing and housewares—ULTIMATE recycling to my way of thinking.

So, I was understandably delighted when the city of Philadelphia stepped up it’s recycling program not too long ago. A new, reinvigorated campaign was launched featuring a very effective postcard mailed to residents showing the new, broader-range of materials allowed, including coated paper board, magazines, phone books and direct mail pieces.

Now, I must confess, no matter how attractive the mailer package, I’m typically not lured into opening, pardon the term, “junk mail.” As a thrift shopper, I tend to be frugal in my expenditures and eschew the newfangled and nonessential.

However, I’m downright paranoid about tossing personalized direct mailers showcasing my name and address through die-cut windows into the recycling bin. Since the city revamped it recycling initiative, every piece of mail is opened and gone through to retrieve and destroy personal variable data. It was on such a mission that I discovered the Pennsylvania Ballet was performing “Dracula” this season. Well, $185 dollars later, I can tell you the costumes and stage settings were awesome and the dancing bloody good. I can also tell you, if it were not for direct mail recycling, the Pennsylvania Ballet’s promotional piece would have gone unopened, and the show unseen. Of course, I’m now being plagued by telemarketers attempting to interest me in season tickets, but that’s a subject for another time.