The advent of email has meant that the old fashioned written letter has gone into decline. While some people find email to be less personal than a hand-written letter, it can’t be argued that email hasn’t saved a few trees since it has become a mainstream communication tool. It’s has also become a marketing tool for companies, infuriating some, but where used properly, also saving plenty of paper and carbon emissions in the form of direct mail printing and postal deliveries.
There are a number of ways to make email even greener.
1. Choose a green webmail provider
Care2.com has been a favourite with environmentally minded internet users since 1998. Choose an email address that says something about what you care about with choices like: @care2.com, @wildmail.com, @peacemail.com, @animail.net, @vegemail.com, @snail-mail.net, @whale-mail.com and more. Care2.com email is completely free, very reliable, has 5Gb storage space, spam/virus filters, “on holiday” auto-reply, spell-check in 12 languages, address book import facility and allows you to set up a customised signature. It can even pick up your POP mail for you. That’s all good and well, but here’s the important part: for every email you send, Care2.com will donate to the environment and other good causes.
Community Mail also allows you to share your values in your email address. Choose from @activist.cc, @hippiemail.com, @globaluprising.com or @communitymail.net. The benefits of using Community Mail are that it is green energy powered, has anti-virus and spam protection, and completely free.
2. Put a green signature on your emails
Adding an eco-friendly message to all of your outgoing emails is an effective way to spread the green message. Here are some ideas that you might like to use:
Please consider the environment before printing this message.
Eco-tip: Printing emails kills trees.
For more tips like this visit EcoStreet
If you’re not sure how to set up an email signature, this should help.
3. Cut down on snail mail (especially junk mail)
Get yourself removed from junk mail lists. This is simple to do. In the UK, visit the MPS website and add your address for free. This will prevent you receiving any marketing mail from companies you haven’t bought from or requested catalogues from. In the US, it will cost you $1.00 to be added to the Mail Preference Service, or you can Opt Out of receiving pre-screened credit and insurance offers by calling 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688). You could also try the GreenDimes online junk mail stopping service.
Wherever you have the choice to state your preference to receive an email rather than snail mail, do it. This could be for marketing communications, bank statements, utility bills, etc.
Photo credit: Soil-Science.info