Feature Story in July BtoB magazine:  With the recession prompting many executives to rethink their spending priorities, marketing budgets are already looking pretty lean. So one might wonder how to trim even more fat from expenditures as fiscal planning for 2010 gains steam.

“Straight Line” posed this question to leading direct marketers, who shared the following tips for conserving much-needed resources in a tough economy. See how Grant A. Johnson, Johnson Direct, and other experts answered this question.

Would you support the ban of water bottles in your community? The New South Wales Southern Highlands town of Bundanoon hopes their decision to ban the sale of bottled water will encourage you to say “Ban the bottle!” 

“Huge amounts of resources are used to extract, bottle and transport that bottled water, and much of the package ends up as litter or landfill,” said environmentalist Jon Dee from activist group Do Something. “Environmentally, it makes no sense and… what we are trying to do in Bundanoon is show that a community can live without single-use bottled water.”

Learn more at http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/09/2620882.htm?section=justin

The water bottle ban news is reminiscent of San Francisco’s attempt to ban large grocery stores and pharmacies from distributing disposable plastic bags in March 2007. Of course, the plastics industry put a stop to that. The news reports since then show that when communities try to put the kibosh on bags they’re met with fierce opposition by the paper and plastic industries. Communities are then forced to adopt voluntary recycling programs or form committees to investigate recycling programs.

Do you choose Paper or Plastic? Which is the better choice?  Reusable cloth bags is the best choice, but if you’re caught in the store without one, should you choose paper or plastic? This interactive look at the environmental impact of your bag habits will guide your decision making: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23358591/

Will this latest news make you think twice about your personal use of water bottles and paper/plastic bags? Let me know!

Denise B. Hearden
eMarketing Director
denise.hearden@johnsondirect.com