The ecological impact of printed materials can be lower than those online

Many companies that realize the benefits of printed materials and direct mail marketing might be swayed from that sort of strategy for no other reason than they believe that such items are bad for the environment. It’s noble for organizations to want to keep the Earth safe and healthy. Environmentalism is a big part of many people’s lives and can’t be ignored when engaging with customers.

Consequently, it’s a good idea to do everything possible to consider ecology when reaching out to consumers. Studies show that paper and traditional materials might not have as negative an impact on ecosystems as previously thought. In fact, by some methods of reasoning, they’re far safer than online marketing and other electronic media systems.

These findings are the result of a study by research firm Alma Media. The reasoning behind their conclusions is certainly context dependent, and most definitely depends on both the beginning and end of the life of a particular sort of marketing material. For example, paper production is traditionally considered very energy-intensive and bad for the environment.

Interestingly, this is only the case when products are made from old-growth forest using outmoded techniques. It is also much worse when products aren’t recycled. Considering that recycling is a major component of the infrastructure of most parts of the country (and that clear cutting has largely been abandoned in favor of post-consumer materials and sustainable lumber production), the materials aren’t as environmentally deleterious as they may have been in the past.

Additionally, once paper is produced, it is barely a threat the environment at all. That’s because it will decompose within days or weeks, as opposed to years for electronic components and other artificial materials.

In contrast, electronic media will only function when electricity is present. This power requires massive amounts of coal, oil or other unsustainable fuels, and is necessary when content is both produced and when it is viewed. The longer a person views some kind of advertisement or marketing message (in addition to how long it took to produce) will contribute to the harm it does to the earth.

Companies should be sure to point out to their customers a number of things. First, that their printed materials are made at least partially from recycled or reclaimed materials. Second, an enterprise should encourage consumers to recycle the brochures, flyers and coupons that they receive after the material has been read or used. Third, a business can offer energy-saving tips regarding computer use to underline the point that online activities can be just as bad for the ecosystem.