Comments on: Are email Christmas cards better for the environment? http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/ Professional website design, ecommerce web development and graphic designers in London Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:05:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Martin Hill http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-484 Martin Hill Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:46:24 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-484 <p>I've just fond an article ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jan/04/ethicalliving.lifeandhealth1) that says the average CO2 for a posted letter in the UK 16g. Now I just need to find out how much per email.</p> I’ve just fond an article ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jan/04/ethicalliving.lifeandhealth1) that says the average CO2 for a posted letter in the UK 16g. Now I just need to find out how much per email.

]]> By: Martin Hill http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-483 Martin Hill Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:35:11 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-483 <p>By the way - I'm not suggesting that email is worse for the the environment than physical post - it's just that the science doesn't seem to have been proved anywhere, and I don't think it is as clear cut as people may think...</p> By the way – I’m not suggesting that email is worse for the the environment than physical post – it’s just that the science doesn’t seem to have been proved anywhere, and I don’t think it is as clear cut as people may think…

]]> By: Martin Hill http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-482 Martin Hill Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:30:04 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-482 <p>HI Nina Not strictly true about the web developer - when they are not working, they go into a semi hibernated state to conserve energy, only waking occasionally to feed on small pieces of cold pizza.</p> <p>Joking of course - yes - you are absolutely right, and maybe I was stretching it a bit far.</p> <p>And the PC comment is an example of why it is so difficult to compare the two mediums - too many variables. I'm sure there are plenty of people who use PCs mainly for email, in which case you could make some sort of calculation - total energy/quantity of emails, but for some it is only a fraction of usage.</p> <p>But here's a quick calculation: In less than a day, the e-Christams card we send has been opened at least 300 times. If we assume 30 seconds per view, that means 150 computer minutes have been used looking at it - 2.5 hours. The average consumption of a PC is around 150 Watts, so 150x2.5 = 375 watts used up so far reading the email. Wow - that's quite alot really! Worse case scenario that equals 375g grammes of CO2 (if the electricity was from coal fired generators). That's just people reading it - not the transport around the internet, or the production time....</p> HI Nina Not strictly true about the web developer – when they are not working, they go into a semi hibernated state to conserve energy, only waking occasionally to feed on small pieces of cold pizza.

Joking of course – yes – you are absolutely right, and maybe I was stretching it a bit far.

And the PC comment is an example of why it is so difficult to compare the two mediums – too many variables. I’m sure there are plenty of people who use PCs mainly for email, in which case you could make some sort of calculation – total energy/quantity of emails, but for some it is only a fraction of usage.

But here’s a quick calculation: In less than a day, the e-Christams card we send has been opened at least 300 times. If we assume 30 seconds per view, that means 150 computer minutes have been used looking at it – 2.5 hours. The average consumption of a PC is around 150 Watts, so 150×2.5 = 375 watts used up so far reading the email. Wow – that’s quite alot really! Worse case scenario that equals 375g grammes of CO2 (if the electricity was from coal fired generators). That’s just people reading it – not the transport around the internet, or the production time….

]]> By: Nina Hall http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-481 Nina Hall Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:18:49 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-481 <p>If the web developer wasn't a web developer they would still have to eat so I don't think you can include that in the equation!</p> <p>Also I don't know anyone that has gone out and brought a PC just read an e-card!! They will most likely be sitting in front of one that is already turned on (so using energy) anyway!</p> If the web developer wasn’t a web developer they would still have to eat so I don’t think you can include that in the equation!

Also I don’t know anyone that has gone out and brought a PC just read an e-card!! They will most likely be sitting in front of one that is already turned on (so using energy) anyway!

]]> By: simon gresswell http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-479 simon gresswell Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:05:48 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-479 <p>Combine the 2? Use page-turning software to deliver an ecard, that you 'open' on screen and then pop-up (presume this can now be used a verb as in 'to medal' in the Olympics) your punters with advice that if they want the full festive message from the maestro of yuletide mirth that is, Binamo #1, then they can rest assured tht they will also be activating a donation to the Carbon Trust from said Binamo, to ease his and their eco-conscience and counter his and their dastardly ungreen deeds of sending and receiving any card in the first place. Oooh, I'm no feeling all Christmas-e.</p> Combine the 2? Use page-turning software to deliver an ecard, that you ‘open’ on screen and then pop-up (presume this can now be used a verb as in ‘to medal’ in the Olympics) your punters with advice that if they want the full festive message from the maestro of yuletide mirth that is, Binamo #1, then they can rest assured tht they will also be activating a donation to the Carbon Trust from said Binamo, to ease his and their eco-conscience and counter his and their dastardly ungreen deeds of sending and receiving any card in the first place. Oooh, I’m no feeling all Christmas-e.

]]> By: Fabian S-C http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-478 Fabian S-C Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:02:16 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-478 <p>Good points Twin Man and well brought out !! I fear that global warming has melted the other four tentacles!! Cool card :) Happy Xmas and a prosperous 2010</p> Good points Twin Man and well brought out !! I fear that global warming has melted the other four tentacles!! Cool card :) Happy Xmas and a prosperous 2010

]]> By: Martin Hill http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-475 Martin Hill Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:38:08 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-475 <p>I think you definitely have a point David, and I have thought about this alot. (and we have in the past sent plenty of printed cards). I think alot depends on the creative behind either medium. We put alot of effort into our messages trying to make them relevant and original - it probably takes alot longer than it would to write and send cards, and we think people appreciate that - we certainly get much positive feedback. But I would concede that a really original and engaging printed card is a powerful and personal thing - and the post above is arguably promoting the sending of proper cards!</p> I think you definitely have a point David, and I have thought about this alot. (and we have in the past sent plenty of printed cards). I think alot depends on the creative behind either medium. We put alot of effort into our messages trying to make them relevant and original – it probably takes alot longer than it would to write and send cards, and we think people appreciate that – we certainly get much positive feedback. But I would concede that a really original and engaging printed card is a powerful and personal thing – and the post above is arguably promoting the sending of proper cards!

]]> By: Sue Dorman http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-474 Sue Dorman Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:26:40 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-474 <p>Hi Martin We.re wioth you all the way and that's exctly what we've done for the past two years. I will send you ours! But we go one step further and donate the money that would have gone on postage to charity, last year a cancer charity as a friend had just died from ovarian cancer, and this year to a local charity - the Chalfont St Giles Youth Club.</p> <p>Merry Christmas !!</p> Hi Martin We.re wioth you all the way and that’s exctly what we’ve done for the past two years. I will send you ours! But we go one step further and donate the money that would have gone on postage to charity, last year a cancer charity as a friend had just died from ovarian cancer, and this year to a local charity – the Chalfont St Giles Youth Club.

Merry Christmas !!

]]> By: David Morris http://www.binamic.co.uk/blog/are-email-christmas-cards-better-for-the-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-473 David Morris Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:19:42 +0000 http://www.binamic.co.uk/?p=663#comment-473 <p>Never mind saving money or being cooler, it shows a distinct lack of effort if you can't take the trouble to send a personal greeting once a year.</p> <p>Come on Martin nshow you care.</p> <p>(From your friendly neighbourhood printer with a large sharp hatchet to grind).</p> Never mind saving money or being cooler, it shows a distinct lack of effort if you can’t take the trouble to send a personal greeting once a year.

Come on Martin nshow you care.

(From your friendly neighbourhood printer with a large sharp hatchet to grind).

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