I wrote on this blog earlier this year that I was to give a lecture on green marketing to members of Harvard Extension School’s Environmental Management Program on Friday, February 29, 2008.
I am pleased to provide a link to a video of the discussion:
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/alumni/events/multimedia/video/green.jsp
Many thanks for your interest!
Sustainable Ink 
I just watched this video and found the whole thing incredibly valuable. During the first hour I thought the discussion of junk mail was interesting. It made me think about the mail I get and ask, “Why is it that I love getting a JCrew magazine but go into an angry fit when I receive a credit offer?” The answer to that is probably because I’m a customer of JCrew and not of these banks that keep mailing me; I appreciate the products JCrew produces but find no value in another credit offer but I get 20 mailings a week from those guys! So I’m not sure the argument is that the average American likes junk mail, it’s that all Americans like some mail but hate other types.
I came away from the second hour with the understanding that there are three tactics a direct marketer can take to clean up their direct mail. First, reduce the impact of their outputs by using soy based inks, post consumer recycled paper etc. Second, limit their outputs by engaging in list management and targeting. Third, move online. It seems that you guys are focus heavily on the first part which is awesome. If you lay these options out I think you’ll receive fewer questions about the aspects of the process you don’t control.
You guys did a great job managing the conversation and letting the audience contribute. I wish it could have continued for another hour!