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3For many years, we have supported several causes dear to our hearts through financial support to the extent that’s possible for us.

Recently, I’ve come to the realization that having done so has been counterproductive to another cause we support, which is conservation of the earth and its resources.

Our paper recycling container has been filling up more quickly than ever, and it’s become obvious that the culprit is requests for donations. We’re grateful that Woodward’s supports recycling….we would just rather not be a large contributor to the paper bin!

Many of these requests are accompanied by address labels, greeting cards, notepads, and other goodies, even including pennies and nickels. We take the cards to Goodwill, hang the peace flags in the garden, and use the notepads for grocery lists, but honestly, we could survive just fine without those guilt-inducing goodies.

Some time ago, I made a list of organizations we’d like to support, and put them into a schedule, so that donations are sent electronically on a schedule of our choosing. I came up with this plan after realizing that I had sent donations to one charity 4 times in one year, while totally neglecting another that we cared about.

While this plan helped keep finances in better order, we continued to receive paper requests for funding, some of which came shortly after we made our online donation.

So….in recent weeks, I’ve started a campaign of returning paper requests with a note asking to be taken off the mailing list. I’ve been amazed at the number of letters I’m sending. I have no idea if this is going to be effective. Long ago we registered for the “do not call” list, which has greatly cut down on unwanted phone calls, and when those calls do come through, we remember to ask to be taken off the list. It’s been a relief to know that most phone calls are now from someone we know. Now if we could just figure out how to stop the recorded calls that begin, “This is an urgent call about your credit card.” Without a real person on the other end, how do you make the remove request? And now we’re taking that to the next step, cutting back on unwanted paper intrusions.

We take recycling and conservation seriously, and the amount of paper we’ve been putting into the landfill is counter to that belief, so we really hope the “take us off your mailing list” campaign is successful.

And, if it is, the causes we support might even save a little money to be used for the real needs. At least we hope so!

 

About the author: Judy Sandeen

Born in Loup City, Ne, Judy Sandeen is a Registered Nurse who has held varied nursing positions throughout her career, most recently as Director of Campus Health Services at Hastings College. She is currently in her third year of retirement, and remains interested in public health and social justice issues. She is married to Jack Sandeen, and their children are Amy Sandeen, who now lives in Hastings, and son Eric and his family, who live in St Paul, Mn.