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Please consider the environment before printing this article!
Why has it become trendy to add lines like the following to an email signature?
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"Please consider the environment before printing this email" |
or |
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"Do you really need to print this email?" |
Companies choose to add lines like these because it's an easy PR win, a way to make it sound as if
they care about climate change and are doing something positive about it
while, in fact, they're just sticking a few patronising words at the end of their emails.
By the way, are there really people who just print every email they receive?
I print a very small percentage of the emails I receive, usually if I want to read a long email,
like a newsletter, at my leisure or I need to show someone an
email immediately without forwarding it, perhaps because it's contents are a surprise or a good joke.
So now I have to print the "caring message" as well.
I'm not impressed by these messages, in fact they have the opposite effect.
Are you sure your customers won't also see through this empty gesture?
In September 2006, Sir Richard Branson committed $3 billion from Virgin's profits to combat climate change.
Now that's an impressive gesture.
My advice is to stop adding more junk to your emails.
A simple signature with your name, position, company and other contact details is all that's needed.
There'll be no "easy wins" in the fight to stop climate change and we'll all need to make real sacrifices, so,
if you must add an environmental exhortation to your emails, here are a few suggestions for more worthy messages:-
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"Please consider turning off your computer for the rest of the day"
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"Do you really need such a large car?"
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"Why not walk or cycle to work tomorrow?"
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"Don't have an overseas holiday this year"
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"Make sure your office turns off all it's PCs at the end of the day"
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"Consider turning down your heating by 2 degrees"
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Do you have any more suggestions?
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