PPB November 2020

D ear Promo Comrades: The possibility exists that someday you might have to respond to the question of whether some or all of the promotional products we bring into the market are earth-friendly and how they are not items that will someday end up in a landfill. Here’s a response I’ve used that I’m happy to share. Dear Ms./Mr. Client: I can understand why you might ask this question about the products in our industry. When I hear someone ask this, however, I always think first about whether my own house is in order. Why? Because in virtually every drawer, cabinet and shelf in my own home, I can find a product that is neither recyclable nor repurposed. Despite the fact that I personally try my best to purchase recyclable/ recycled products, avoid single-use plastic bags, support sustainable brands and embrace manufacturers with fair labor practices, I still cannot say that all of the products in my home are, in fact, earth-friendly. In my bathroom cabinet, maybe just like yours, I see plastic bottles, glass jars with plastic lids, spray bottles, pill bottles, cosmetic cases of all kinds, plastic toothbrushes, combs, razors, you name it. In my garage, it is worse— different tools, applications, chemicals, paint cans, and most of them are not eco- friendly. Now why is that? The answer is that we all purchase items from retail companies whose products come from all over the world. The retail market represents An Honest Answer To A Fair Question How to explain to clients that our industry is progressing toward a healthier planet, but we are only a small part of a much bigger effort. by Janie Gaunce Julia Sudnitskaya / Shutterstock.com 70 | NOVEMBER 2020 | THINK