Going Green ↓

There’s a new service created by the National Resources Defense Council, the National Wildlife Federation and the Ecology Center that lets consumers specify which catalogs they wish NOT to receive.  Over 20,000 people have already signed up.

Clearly the reasoning behind this new service is purely environmental.

We see 3 things happening as a result of this…especially with the recent postage increase:

1. Variable data printed catalogs will grow in popularity.  A lower volume of catalogs will be sent out with less pages, but extremely targeted based on the individual’s purchase history or demographics.
2. Maybe #1 seems like a stretch, but what will definitely happen is catalogers will get smarter about how they market and who they market to. 
3. More focus will be put on driving traffic to the cataloger’s website including search engine optimization and paid search.

And we also think more and more catalogers will start using recycled and certified virgin paper, and become more environment-conscious. This will likely happen within the industry as a whole because it’s becoming more and more important to consumers.

When it comes down to it, all of this is positive for the industry. Less paper wasted, more targeted offers and smarter marketing.

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Yes, it’s another post about ‘going green’…but that’s because it’s (fortunately) a popular topic right now.

For those direct marketers and printers that are truly serious about becoming more environmentally aware, there’s a certification you can get from the Forest Stewardship Council (FCS).

FSC is a nonprofit company formed in 1993 to promote the responsible use of the world’s forests.

According to an article in the DM News by Patrick Murray, the certification signifies that you actively demonstrate and support sound environmental practices as well as proper forest management. 

In order to use the FSC logo on your paper, the printed product must have flowed through the complete FSC chain-of-custody (approved forest to paper manufacturer to printer).

And one important thing to note…

FSC certified paper is quality paper from 100% virgin fiber, but the pool of pulp to draw from is small…so the lead time is the biggest factor – not price – in obtaining the paper.

FSC claims that out of all their new clients, printers represent at least two-thirds.

Here’s their website if you’re interested in more information:

http://www.fscus.org

Deliver Magazine – put out by the USPS – is a magazine for marketers…and they made their most recent September issue “green”.

 The stats are fascinating:

• 101,000 pounds of paper used
• 100% Percentage of post-consumer recycled content
• 969 Numbers of trees preserved
• 411,862 Gallons of waste-water flow saved
• 2,799 Pounds of waterborne waste avoided
• 45,571 Pounds of solid waste prevented
• 89,728 Pounds of greenhouse gases prevented, net
• 686,800,000 BTUs of energy saved
• 46,622 Pounds of air emissions prevented
• 20 Barrels of crude oil saved

Can you imagine the positive environmental effects if more direct marketers, catalogers and publishers went green?

Fortunately, the issue also goes on to list some tips on making your direct mail more eco-friendly:

1. Decrease the thickness of your paper stock
2. Cut down on the number of elements in a mail package
3. Reduce the trim size
4. Use recycled or “ground-wood” paper rather than virgin stock
5. Use soy or water-based inks when possible
6. Make a continuous effort to keep your lists clean
7. Explore printing processes that produce less waste, such as rotogravure
8. Utilize Print-On-Demand technology
9. Send customers online for follow-up information
10. Send out large print pieces on CD
11. Print marketing materials on both sides of the paper
12. Use chlorine-free paper
13. Ask customers to specify how frequently they’d like to hear from you
14. Choose vendors who use renewable energy, or urge current customers to do so
15. Experiment with CDs, PDF file and other formats that require less paper and package

We’d like to end this blog post with a neat tool from the DMA called the Environmental Planning Tool.  It evaluates your environmental practices and also gives you ideas and strategies to implement.