I was surprised to learn of this because I hadn’t truly considered that consumers actually don’t know this stuff.

Like all good Seattleites, I figured that non-recyclers were just lazy or gluttonous and self-absorbed.  Further, I surmised that promotion of the “G” subject these days is often a simple self-serving tactic to show how with-it a company is, or is not.  I was jaded.  A different shade of green

As it turns out, many consumers want to do the right thing, but honestly don’t know if your direct marketing piece qualifies for recycling. And, it may be fear of contaminating the recycling batch that stops them from putting your catalog in the bin when they’re done buying everything in it.

Living in Seattle, where even the waste-cans at my local street fair are 90% dedicated to recycling, it can be easy to lose perspective.  Then, I remember that where my sister lives in Texas, the utility actually paid consumers to recycle along with their household waste.  I believe the program was eventually cancelled for lack of participation. Clearly, they needed better direct marketing.

That was a number of years ago, when they couldn’t even pay people to recycle, and I'm sure the good people of Fort Worth have learned how beneficial and easy recycling really is.  Maybe if every consumable product that entered their homes had an “I can be recycled” logo, the program would have done better?

On another perspective, as someone who participates in the paper buying process, I can testify that there is not enough recycled content out there to go around. There just isn’t enough post-consumer waste in the “system” to make direct marketing as green as it can be. 

At a recent Paper 101 class I attended with a local supplier, we were told that 100% of the recycled paper on the market is bought before it is even available.  And, the consumer demand to include this in our finished products is driving the prices up and up.

So, if you are a marketer with input in the design components of direct mail, or other printed collateral, take a moment to consider putting this little logo into your printed pieces.  And, consider that it may actually do some good in helping to get your direct marketing piece back into the recycling system, instead of looking through the cynical green glasses that are easy to sport when we feel inundated with disingenuous “go green” messaging.

There actually will be a selfish, positive, side-effect in bringing down the cost of recycled paper.  And of course, the cheaper it is, the easier it is to justify as a business, and all the better to sell as a marketer.  

Info on the Recycle Please campaign.
More publications and fact sheets on recycling for direct marketers.