"When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me."Emo Philips
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ReCycled Plastic Furniture
We, at C.S. Environmental Inc., are proud to introduce to you an innovative line of elegant site furnishings made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic through www.publicfurniture.com. C.S. Environmental Inc. manufactures and supplies North America's ...
Since Katrina, the Environment Is Front-Page News
Ever since the end of August, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the major American city of New Orleans and the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Alabama, the consequences of environmental degradation have been front-page news. Politicians ...
Taming Hurricane Pedro Gives Hope for the Future
August 29, 2040 - Analysts believe that the effort in taming the hurricane Pedro is the main reason for it to still be considered a category four hurricane, before it reached the coast of southern Florida today. This is the first time ever a major ...
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According to several pieces of junk mail the Grinning Planet offices have received this year, we can get 37 CDs for just a penny! Fine, as long as we don't have to listen to the complimentary copy of "Megadeth Plays Liberace."
We're really here today to talk about some of the stuff you get in the mail that may actually be usable. Most of us have received all sorts of supposedly usable stuff in junk mail--free return-address labels, blank greeting cards, calendars, even reeeaaaally flat sponges. Well, we may be very pleased to find out that some junk-mailer considers us "sponge-worthy," but the larger question is, should we use this stuff even if we don't send a contribution to "Save the Down-Sized Rich People" or whatever group sent it to us?
Consider the case of the free return-address labels. The organization sent them to you hoping that you would send them a donation. If you're not inclined to donate, it is NOT unethical for you to use the labels. From an ecological perspective, whether you send the organization money or not is irrelevant. The labels have already been manufactured, packaged, and mailed--those financial costs and resource costs have already been incurred. If you can make use of the free labels instead of throwing them out and buying similar replacement items, then it's a "win" for resource
utilization and the environment. The group that sent you the labels isn't any worse off than if you'd just thrown the labels out. The same logic applies to ALL of the free goodies you get in the mail.
So take those return-address stickers you got from the "Friends of Hard-Luck Martian Television Stars" (or whomever) and use 'em up!
P.S. To get less junk mail in the first place, you can get on the "Stop Sending Me This Crap" list at the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service -- http://www.dmaconsumers.org/offmailinglist.html .
For jokes, cartoons, and more great environmental information, visit www.grinningplanet.com .
© 2003 by GrinningPlanet.com
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in
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About the Author
Mark is a writer, financial analyst, web developer, environmentalist, and, as necessary, chef and janitor. Grinning Planet is an expression of Mark's enthusiasm for all things humorous and green, as well as a psychotic desire to work himself half-to-death. Hobbies include health foods, music, getting frustrated over politics, and occasionally lecturing the TV set on how uncreative it is.
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