September 12, 2011
Direct Mail Fundraising Goes Green
When your organization thinks about fundraising and the color green – what comes to mind? Do you think of the CASH that your efforts produce? Or are you concerned about the environment? As a savvy fundraiser, perhaps you should be thinking about BOTH of them!
Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to be a responsible steward of your organization’s fundraising dollars and the environment.
The first step is to make environmentally-friendly choices in the production of your direct mail packages. For example, many printers use recycled papers as their “house” stocks, which means you may not have to pay extra to use paper with at least some recycled content.
Here are just a few common terms used to describe some of the green decisions you may be asked to make:
- Recycled paper contains recovered fibers which may be either pre-consumer or post-consumer. Basically, a recycled logo indicates that some portion of the fibers have been used before. Sometimes the logo is accompanied by a statement that specifies more information about the paper, such as “60% post-consumer waste”.
- Recyclable paper refers to pieces that are capable of being recycled. Pieces may not necessarily contain recycled content.
- Soy inks are generally made from soybeans grown in the United States – as opposed to traditional petroleum-based inks. Soy inks have low levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which helps reduce air pollution. Many printers have converted to soy based inks.
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified products. As an independent, non-profit international organization, FSC sets high standards that ensure that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. Your direct marketing vendor must be a member of the FSC and follow the chain of custody guidelines for any FSC products they produce. When you use the FSC logo on your direct mail pieces, you are demonstrating to your donors that you support the social, economic and ecological needs of the environment.
- SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified products. This North American-based certification program confirms that the fibers used in the production of paper and packaging come from a legal and responsible source. Your vendor must be a certified SFI member and follow the SFI guidelines and requirements. Participation sends a clear message to your donors that you support best management practices to sustain our forests.
Remember, if you use environmentally friendly papers or ink, make sure you let your donors know by printing the appropriate logos on your pieces.
As your organization focuses on more green initiatives, don’t forget to educate your donors. This quote from International Paper removes many of the misconceptions about the environmental impact of direct mail: “Have you heard someone suggest that by using less paper, you can ‘save a tree’? The fact is, that when the demand for paper declines, tree farming also declines, taking all of the important ecologic impacts like clean air and water and wildlife habitat right along with it.” The reality is that decreasing paper use may well cause a forest somewhere to be replaced by development.”
For more information on recycled papers, FSC or SFI, contact Paul Buohl, Estimating and Job Planning Manager, at pbuohl@euservices.com. You can also download our free resource, Green Options for Direct Mail below.
