Post office is the best place to handle mail sent in error

Question: I keep getting mail addressed to someone who does not live at my address. What should I do?

Answer: Most people think it’s just a matter of writing "person not at this address" on the envelope and sticking it back in the mail.

The solution is sometimes not that simple, said Duke Gonzales, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii.

It really depends on the type of mail involved.

If it is first-class mail, writing "unknown," "addressee unknown" or "person not at this address" on the outside of the unopened envelope will result in it being delivered back to the sender, who can then correct the address, he said.

However, if it is standard mail, such as a catalog or other type of promotional mail, "we would not deliver the mail piece back to the sender regardless of any message written on the envelope," Gonzales said.

The postal service would deliver the mail piece back to the sender only if it said "address correction requested," even if it was standard mail.

Gonzales suggested you take the wrongly addressed piece to the post office that delivers your mail and ask about your options and/or to contact the sender directly.

Question: Thanks for the information on recycling phone books ("Kokua Line," Jan. 16). But why doesn’t the phone company include the recycling information on its own initiative when it delivers the phone books — insert a flier, attach a magnet or something?

Question: Why is it not possible for Hawaiian Telcom to pick up old directories when they deliver the new ones, just by letting us know in advance about delivery? It’s a burden on customers of Hawaiian Telcom to figure out how to recycle those directories.

Answer: The Berry Co. publishes directories for Hawaiian Telcom and sponsors the "Think Yellow, Go Green" recycling program that runs consecutive weekends until Feb. 19 (see www.thinkyellowgogreen.com/locations.aspx?region=3).

In 2007 Hawaiian Telcom sold its directory publishing business to Local Insight Media, with The Berry Co. continuing as publisher.

In regards to letting people know about recycling options when books are delivered: Recycling information was included in directory delivery bags, said Pat Nichols, spokeswoman for Berry, whose corporate headquarters are in Colo rado.

Information about recycling also is included in the directories themselves, she said.

However, specific locations and dates for recycling could not be provided because those details had not been locked in early enough.

For the future, "we will work toward that," Nichols said.

While picking up old directories when dropping off new ones is "an excellent idea," the delivery process in Hawaii "makes it difficult to predict when we will be delivering directories in specific areas or neighborhoods," and with the possibility of rain, "it makes the pickup impractical."

"But it is something that we will evaluate for future delivery," she said.

MAHALO

To two strangers. On Dec. 30 our car battery died at Ala Moana Center. After unsuccessfully trying to flag down help to jump-start our car, my wife, 18-month-old daughter and I resigned ourselves to missing an important appointment while waiting for roadside assistance. Charlene and her friend realized we needed help and immediately came over. When jumper cables wouldn’t reach, they were ready to help push the car. When the car wouldn’t move, they stayed with us until an adjacent parking space opened up, then helped start our car. We wanted to give them something in thanks, but they refused, saying they were happy to help. Amidst the stress of a hectic holiday season, it was an example of the best of local style and the aloha spirit. — Mark Arimoto and family

Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.