Green Theshold Alert: Conserve Cards
By ChristaSome people get a little knot in their stomachs when they hear the words ‘green giving’ – they don’t have room for another soy candle or another recycled yarn tissue box and they have reusable water bottles for every day of the week. It’s not that they don’t appreciate the thought behind green gifts, but rather that they’d prefer the gifts to be a little more thoughtful, if not a little less green. These are people who may or may not sign up for Amazon’s Aunt Mildred, but their green threshold is pretty low when it comes to overtly green gifts.
Personally, I like green gifts, and even when I don’t like specific green gifts, I like passing them on to other people who will actually want them. Where my green threshold lies, as it applies to green giving, is probably somewhere around Conserve Cards.
It’s not that I’m morally opposed to the idea of reusable greeting cards – in fact, I think it’s a pretty handy idea for those who know their recipients will actually reuse a card. And I’m happy to hear that Conserve Cards are made from recycled paper, eco-friendly inks, and water-based adhesives. I just don’t necessarily think that most people upon receiving a Conserve Card will take the time to keep it somewhere convenient and then remember that it’s there the next time they feel pressed to send a greeting card. Add to that the fear that it will be awkward when the card makes it back to the original sender, and I see Conserve Cards ending up (hopefully) in the recycling bin along with regular cards.
Or am I just being cynical? What do you think of the idea of reusable greeting cards?
March 5th, 2011 at 8:10 am
I think the idea of reusable greeting cards is great–I just don’t understand why you have to buy an item that sells itself as reusable, when you can use any old greeting card (plus a little creativity of your own) to accomplish the same end. You know, close the loop on that recycling cycle.
I know this blog is about selling stuff, but I wonder why so many “green” ideas just further the obsessive consumerism that creates the wastefulness we’re trying to stop.
March 5th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
My grandparents are pretty green with regard to greeting cards in that my grandmother will usually cut then in half, recycle the part that’s been written on and then use the remaining cover art and the clean inside page for things like gift tags and notes to people and so on. And then hopefully that side gets recycled.
I think the issue you raise is part of the same problem that surrounds the simple living movement and the associated magazines like Real Simple. I’ve read a few issues, and it features a lot of articles about HERE ARE FIVE COMPLICATED PROJECTS YOU CAN DO AND NEW PLASTIC STUFF YOU CAN BUY TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE! Drives me nuts. But I guess for a lot of people, buying new things is how they slowly ease themselves into a new lifestyle. Like the newly frugal person who goes out and buys a set of budgeting envelopes to mark their introduction to frugality.
I absolutely agree with you that one can start living a greener life without buying anything (except maybe a water bottle if you don’t have any devices for carrying your own liquid) since it’s frequently greener to use what you have than bring something new into your world.