“Accept our e-invoices and together we save a tree”. “Go green, adopt e-billing”. Don’t these slogans sound familiar? Well recent developments makes it more and more difficult to hold on to the so-called “go green” or “tree” argument.
There are more trees in the US now than 100 years ago
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in the United States, which contains 8 percent of the world’s forests, there are more trees than there were 100 years ago. To use their words in this article:
“Forest growth nationally has exceeded harvest since the 1940s. By 1997, forest growth exceeded harvest by 42% and the volume of forest growth was 380% greater than it had been in 1920.” The greatest gains have been seen on the East Coast (with average volumes of wood per acre almost doubling since the ’50s) which was the area most heavily logged by European settlers beginning in the 1600s, soon after their arrival.”
The customer’s perspective on going green
So how does a customer think of such arguments. Well Richard W. May, expressed this way in his article: Save a Tree with an Electronic Invoice:
“I just received a message from a rather prominent publishing company stating that they had decided to “go green” and I was asked to sign-up to receive email invoices. By signing up, I was told that I would help save a tree. Honestly, are companies that promote this disingenuous hype credible? As my environmentalist friend counsels, “If you see any environmental claim, simply follow the money trail. The ‘green’ claims of big business are generally bogus.”
Let’s look at the facts:
- The reason why XYZ Publishing Company would like to send “electronic” invoices is to save paper and postage.
- Will a tree be saved? Highly unlikely. I will need to print out an invoice to keep a paper trail. In effect, the vendor has effectively passed on his invoicing costs to me.
- Regardless of who prints the invoices, will a tree be cut down? Maybe, but doubtful. So much of today’s business paper is recycled and, in any event, most companies source paper from environmentally certified forests. Would it surprise you to learn that we have more trees in the US today than we did 100 years ago.
- If the leadership of this publishing company were really concerned that their invoicing policies were truly harmful to the environment, wouldn’t they shift all book publishing to electronic distribution channels?
Let’s face it. These environmental benefits are totally bogus and true leaders should simply step out and say they are recommending changing their invoicing practices to save money. Don’t use the environment to justify cost-cutting. You discredit the environmental movement and simply look stupid. In fact, I am not sure you are even a credible partner. Richard W. May”
Time to change the claim
So instead of claiming to save trees, you might change your claim. For instance “save to rainforest”, “add green to your neighbourhood”.
Most likely the best claim to get you customers on board is: “Accept our e-bills and receive a kickback on our savings”.
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