Although the idea of going “green” sounds great, it’s not always easy to figure out which environmentally responsible choices to make.

It’s been years, for example, since consumers first began to grapple with the paper versus plastic dilemma at the supermarket checkout, yet confusion still reigns about this most basic of decisions. (Recycle the bags? Use your own canvas bags? Ask for paper?)

The more educated we become about the array of choices available to us, the more confusing those choices seem – especially when it comes to business and marketing.

Just think about the decisions to produce a mailer:
  • Recycled paper versus certified paper?
  • Soy-based inks versus traditional inks?
  • Window-free envelopes versus varnish-free self-mailers?

Which of these well-intentioned choices will have a truly positive effect on the environment, and which are simply gestures that make us feel good but have little or no impact?