Fake Green

[dl333]

I see the message in my bill, "As part of Verizon's Go Green Initiatives, your remit envelope is not included."

The only green being saved with this is the green with dead presidents' pictures on it.  Saving paper does not save trees!  Whoever started this is dumber than the rock underneath the tree they are pretending to bed hugging.  The trees that are used for paper are specifically grown for making paper, i.e., they are a crop just like corn or wheat or soy beans.  If we use less paper, then we need fewer trees and the land will be used for something other than growing trees for making paper.  Conserving paper to save trees is like not eating bread to save wheat - if a farmer can't sell wheat, he will grow something else.  If the land cannot be used for something else, or he can't make a living growing something else, he sells the land for development into shopping centers or high density housing.  Since companies that make paper own land for planting trees for making that paper, the land has to be profitable (contrary to popular liberal opinion, the ONLY reason for a "for profit" company to be in business is to make a profit); if fewer trees are needed because all of the tree huggers are conserving paper, then fewer trees will be planted for making paper and more land will be developed into something else.

The net result of conserving and recycling paper, therfore, is FEWER trees.  I have no problem with Verizon saving money by sending me remit envelopes that I wll not use (since I pay my bill electronically through coal powered technology), but for them to claim that it is part of an environmentally friendly initiative is a complete falsehood.  Just tell the truth - if you can find ways to save money, you can slow down any price increases and maintain the margin and profitability your stock holders expect.