Another Christmas Fairytale...

Issue 9 - December 2008

I really enjoy the Christmas season. Despite the feeling one gets that 'goodwill towards mankind' is not what it used to be, I feel the intention is still very much alive. Part of this goodwill intention is recognising all those that contributed to your life over the year by sending a Christmas card. Many corporates don't bother anymore, they send a cheesy email under the guise of saving the environment and reducing C02. We respect their choice to 'save money or time' by not sending cards, but the environmental reason is unfounded. Lets consider an example:

The Printed Version - 85 grams
The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change is a 700 page report written by Sir Nicholas Stern for the British Government and released in October 2006. The printed version of the Review was validated in the report as 85 grams of C02 in total for the complete manufacturing process and paper. As the finished product is a book, the 85 grams is the maximum C02 it will ever amount to no matter how many times it is read over the next 100 years.

The On-line Version - 226 grams
According to computer energy costs sourced by Choice Australia and conversion coefficients sourced by the Australian Greenhouse Office, for every hour that a person reads The Stern Review in PDF format on a typical laptop computer 226 grams of C02 are generated. That's over 2.5 times as much as the printed version. The 226 grams does not include the carbon footprint for the IT infrastructure to deliver the PDF file, nor the footprint to print it out, as the majority of people tend to do.

The CD Version - 300 grams
A study by Dr Tony Wilkins, Group Manager Environment & Climate Change for News Ltd, validated that the manufacture of a CD with The Stern Review data generates 300 grams of C02 per disk, or 350 grams for a DVD version, and that's before it is put into a computer and viewed or printed!

So we took the time and energy to design our Christmas card, printed sensible quantities on paper from sustainable managed forests, personalised each and posted it to our clients. We trust they enjoyed receiving them as much as we did sending them, and that they will recycle the paper (again) to minimise any environmental impact.

For those of you that didn't receive one of our Christmas cards, but would have liked one, drop us a note and we'll make sure you are on the list for next year (alternatively, give us a project and you'll automatically get one!).

While you contemplate the 'environmental impact of Christmas' why not view a
couple of light-hearted clips that celebrate those last minute shopping decisions
and a little romance during this festive season.

'Last Minute Christmas Shopping' Click here to play	'Budding Romance This Christmas' Click here to play

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