Should Greens Send Direct Mail?

I believe direct mail is hypocritical when sent by groups raising money and awareness for environmental issues.

So what if the paper is recycled or harvested from sustainable sources. Direct mail still uses many resources.

Leonardo DiCaprio has been criticized recently for sending out Polar Bear S.O.S. campaign packages to the public.

You know I love the polar bears, right? I’ve written about them endlessly here. But would I send out direct mail packages to people who are probably just going to toss them in the trash?

We need to get smarter with how we communicate. There are so many other ways to raise awareness about polar bears and the S.O.S. campaign. I never contribute to any cause that sends me a big paper package.

I let my Nature Conservancy membership lapse because I hated the way they use resources. Yes, they chose recycled, sustainable paper, but let me tell you — the onslaught of direct mail that resulted after I cancelled my membership more than stomped all over whatever good I did with my original donation. After a few requests, the direct mail finally stopped. I hope.

How should we campaign for green issues?

• Blogs, of course

• Websites, newspapers and news programs (The news isn’t going to stop. We might as well get the green on.)

• Documentaries

• School and university programs

• Ads — They’re better than direct mail packages

Yip. All of those options use resources, but they’re much smarter than paper packages arriving unwanted in mail boxes.

What do you think about environmental groups that use direct mail?

Image via Newscom. Used with permission.
Image: DiCaprio promoting first green credit card in Hong Kong in March 2008.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in July 2008