 BUSINESS 4NETWORKING [Anyone care about the environmental impact of direct mail?] |
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 10:50
This is probably going to be a controversial one, but does anyone actually care? Obviously we know that we all should care, but do you? We wrote an article about reducing the environmental impact of direct mail and it had a really fantastic response. But, have people actually starting implementing strategies to reduce the environmental impact of their businesses actions? Or do we all just talk about doing it?
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 10:59
As a private individual I am on the mps system and don't get the deluge that some of my neighbours do!
I do have recycled paper and card for as many of my printed items as poss, and look at targeting my mail so there is less waste all round - no 'scattered' direct mail to people who aren't in my target group.
Claire
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 11:17
We try to avoid all printing. We have a PDF brochure (hard copy is available, printed on recycled stock), we don't mail letters, only emails or email attachments, and even our invoicing is electronic unless the client specifically asks for a printed version.
I even take electronic versions of trade press whereever possible. And of course, I recycle everything I can.
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 11:19
As a businessman, I have a great deal of sympathy with the need for some direct mail.
However, even people in the DM business would probably agree there is too much.
Now, onto the environmental bit. I do care. I will not seperate my rubbish out, because i believe this is not the answer. The answer is not to have the rubbish in the first place.
In actual fact, I dont receive massive amounts of direct mail, despite not having registered anywhere. But, as with packaging, if society really cares then it will stop recycling and stop producing.
Paul Norman 4N North Tyneside and Oxford
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 11:33
This is really harsh. But I don't care!
DM irritates me because its a load of rubbish most of the time, but the environmental thing just doesn't do it for me. I have this theory that the green/carbon footprint etc thing is just another way of making more taxes.
I will put stuff in recycling if it's easy (which most of the time it is) but I don't go out of my way.
I don't print much at all. In fact I still have the same ream of headed paper, with about 10 sheets used, since I started my business a year ago. But that isn't green...it's easiness on my part - most of what I do is email...
I know someone (probably Mr Lundy) will come along and tell me how wrong I am about it all, but that's how it is!
Sarah Howells
sarah@thepassionatepa.co.uk
www.thepassionatepa.co.uk
01202 802863 / 07835 749835
The Passionate PA...making things happen. Getting your 'to-do' list done.
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 12:51
Absolutely agree with much of the carbon reduction stuff being about 'stealth' taxes. If the govt were serious about this, then they would come up with realistic mechanisms for reducing output - i.e. promote the alternatives, or give tax bonuses to those who make reductions.
I think with mps we as the recipient can make the choiceabout whether to receive DM, so I wouldn't worry about being the sender
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 14:00
We as a family do the whole reycling bit...it hacks me off that it isn't easier. I often think that it is just another way of making us do more work and allowing the government to charge us more for the privilidge.
DM is a pain but every now and then a gem comes through which gets used....so we are not on the MPS system. It does hack me off a bit when on a Thursday I put out the paper recycling box and realise how much of the stuff in there actually isn't our waste, just stuff we've been sent.
I
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 14:44
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 15:50
We have dramatically cut down on our internal paper work and now only email invoices unless specifically requested otherwise.
In terms of our clients we push (offer options) for fully recycled and water based printing for DM stuff. Generally we get good feedback from such options and at a minimum they usually plumbe for FSC paper. Best we can do really....
Karen
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 18:04
Quote:
This is really harsh. But I don't care!
DM irritates me because its a load of rubbish most of the time, but the environmental thing just doesn't do it for me. I have this theory that the green/carbon footprint etc thing is just another way of making more taxes.
I will put stuff in recycling if it's easy (which most of the time it is) but I don't go out of my way.
I don't print much at all. In fact I still have the same ream of headed paper, with about 10 sheets used, since I started my business a year ago. But that isn't green...it's easiness on my part - most of what I do is email...
I know someone (probably Mr Lundy) will come along and tell me how wrong I am about it all, but that's how it is!
Not at all, oh beloved one!
I hate junk mail in all of its forms. I even hate the euphemism "Direct Mail". I didn't ask for it, I don't want it and I wish it was outlawed. It all ends up in the bin, never gets read and it doesn't get recycled because, as a business, I would have to pay for that service (WHY?? If recycling is so beneficial, why can't it be provided for free?). If I had the time to waste, I would mark every item of junk mail "Return to Sender".
If the government were really serious about the green side, then they would take far more direct action to STOP things rather than collect money on them.
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 18:10
We have tried in recent months to reduce the amount of paper we send out and everything is done via email and all documentation is sent in pdf form to avoid the need for printing. It still amazes me how much paper we get sent to us on a daily basis and also how much of that soon finds it way into the bin. Currently we are recycling at least two black sacks of paper a week and most of it was never required in the first place - i.e. it is junk mail or brochures / advertising from our suppliers which could easily have been sent electronically.
Jules Addison
Operations Assistant - 4N Bath
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 20:06
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 20:18
Quote:
Lundy and Pash in 'almost agreeing' shocker!!!!
ROFL!
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 20:19
There seems to be a lot of agreement here on the theme of, 'if the government were serious they would stop the stuff coming out' theme.
I passionately agree. Recycling is a trend, and an excuse to raise more tax. Businesses must pay to be green. Households must deal with complex sorting of their waste (so do businesses - its much worse for them).
Like all green issues, if I believed for one tenth of a nano second the government cared i would play along. I do, actually care, but believe that sending three trucks instead of one to collect my waste, making me drive to the bottle bank, and a whole raft of such like oddities are not much to do with green issues!
Paul Norman 4N North Tyneside and Oxford
Gibside Associates - a different approach
www.gibside.co.uk
Training for business with, no jargon. Consultancy that makes you think. Helping you be deliberately excellent.
Check here for training courses that might just suit you!
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Posted on 27th Oct 2008 at 20:24
Paul, don't talk to me about bottles!
My contract waste service (for which I have to pay) exclude glass. I shift a LOT of bottles, so I have to pay for a glass recycling company to come and collect. I can get away with the odd visit to the recycling depot, but they soon spot the restaurateurs and bar you from using the FREE service that your business rates pay for!
What's worse is that my private house is within the grounds of the hotel, so I don't even get a domestic collection despite paying domestic rates as well!
You guessed it! Waste disposal & recycling is a sore point with me!!
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