I’m a fiend about recycling. Just ask my kids — I don’t let them get Happy Meals because we end up throwing away every little toy; I refuse to buy those little juice boxes and individually wrapped snacks; and even I reuse ziploc bags. So how is it that I’ve come to terms with being a “junk mail” company?
Admittedly, I don’t consider myself a junk mail company. I’m a direct marketer with a highly targeted niche. I sell a range of really unusual and useful products to teachers and trainers, which make learning more fun and more effective. And, I really think that mailing catalogs to teachers and trainers really is GREEN. Trainers and teachers don’t have to drive their gas guzzling vehicles all over town to find our specialty stores. Rather, we send you pictures of the most popular products on paper which IS a renewable resource, then have your packages delivered by trucks, which ride around your neighborhood in as resource-efficient a manner as possible.
The American Catalog Mailers Association put together this terrific paper explaining why “printing is green.” Read the full document or have a look at these highlights:
We also have several Green products that let you reduce, reuse, and recycle, including:
DocU-Pockets – preserve and hang signs with reusable plastic pockets instead of using lamination supplies.
Re-usable Tent Cards – eliminate use of printing out onto cardboard, plus you can eliminate the need for lanyards and name tags
Well-made products – all of the products we sell can be used and reused. Even the “toys” are selected for their quality and durability so they’ll last a good long time!
As one who lives in an area where the paper industry has historically been an important factor, thanks for a well-written and well-thought out perspective.
The “Green” movement would probably gain a lot more support by attempting to strike a balance. We cannot wipe out entire industries in the interest of “going green.”
We have many opportunities to destroy the earth. There are no simple solutions to complex problems. Part of the challenge is getting factual information instead of rhetoric. Thanks for sharing some!