I keep receiving e-mails that close with the following statement at the bottom, please consider the environment before printing this e-mail or some variation thereof. They often have a nice silhouette of a single evergreen tree standing like a sentential over a rushing river, in a bold, hunter green hue. Nice reminder to be environmentally conscious, but I do not need to consider whether I should or should not print something. If we all stop printing out articles or e-mails, that could affect paper companies and more importantly, people who work for them? What would recyclers do? How many loggers would lose their jobs because demand dropped? What about the trucker and the sawmill workers? If those jobs dwindle, what happens to the towns these folks live in? The stores, the restaurants, the schools might close and local governments that depend on these workers tax revenue would dry up.
Simple, harmless ideas that we all see as helping, really do the exact opposite.
Another example is when someone dies, often there is a request by the family that reads, “in lieu of flowers”, send your donations to this organization or that. While good intentioned, in lieu of hurts the florist that will not get to help the bereaved family in their grief by creating a beautiful tribute to the deceased? The florist supplier will not get an order and the grower will not have his crop harvested because someone suggested, in lieu of?
In May of 2003 country singer June Carter Cash, the wife of country legend Johnny Cash, died. Her obituary read, “In lieu of donations, please send flowers”. How refreshing. How bold. I have been to funerals where there were no flowers. The service was stark, cold and uncharacteristic of the person lying in the box. Flowers help celebrate a person’s existence. Flowers remind the survivors of the temporary nature of our lives. Flowers add color, aroma and warmth to a sad life cycle event. Flowers also bring solace and comfort to those who remember the departed.
Therefore, I will embrace Ms. Cash’s idea and ask when I die, send me flowers. Lot’s of them. Heck, send them to me now, while I am vertical. Moreover, please do not remind me to consider the environment. It will be fine without my consideration. My new, personal e-mail closing states;
Simple, harmless ideas that we all see as helping, really do the exact opposite.
Another example is when someone dies, often there is a request by the family that reads, “in lieu of flowers”, send your donations to this organization or that. While good intentioned, in lieu of hurts the florist that will not get to help the bereaved family in their grief by creating a beautiful tribute to the deceased? The florist supplier will not get an order and the grower will not have his crop harvested because someone suggested, in lieu of?
In May of 2003 country singer June Carter Cash, the wife of country legend Johnny Cash, died. Her obituary read, “In lieu of donations, please send flowers”. How refreshing. How bold. I have been to funerals where there were no flowers. The service was stark, cold and uncharacteristic of the person lying in the box. Flowers help celebrate a person’s existence. Flowers remind the survivors of the temporary nature of our lives. Flowers add color, aroma and warmth to a sad life cycle event. Flowers also bring solace and comfort to those who remember the departed.
Therefore, I will embrace Ms. Cash’s idea and ask when I die, send me flowers. Lot’s of them. Heck, send them to me now, while I am vertical. Moreover, please do not remind me to consider the environment. It will be fine without my consideration. My new, personal e-mail closing states;
please help capitalism thrive. print this email.
