Direct mail: your mission versus the environment

The current focus in the world of philanthropy seems to be the environment, especially the myriad issues surrounding global warming.

Many people seem to think that it is unwise to chop down carbon munching trees, process them using toxic chemicals, print messages on them, and fly and drive them all over the country. Contrary, I am firmly in support of using direct mail.

I employ a moral calculus in my support. First off, direct mail simply works. If it didn't, no one would use it because of the cost. Now consider what your organization does. Regardless of exactly what kind of non-profit you are a part off, it serves some mission that, presumably, is of some value to society. The environmental damage done by your development department's direct mail efforts will inherently be less than the good you can do with the extra money it brings.

If you are so inclined, there are a number of ways to reduce the environmental impact of your mailings, which I will discuss in some detail in a later post.

What do you think? Agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you in the comments.