Towards a greener hobby

Over the time, we have listened to some users' concerns about Postcrossing's ecological footprint. From operating the servers that host this project to sending postcards or other items through mail, precious resources like paper and oil are used and CO₂ is produced.
As you know, CO₂ emissions added into the atmosphere contribute to climate change.

So how can you help to make Postcrossing a greener hobbie? Here are a few tips from the forum:

1. Choose recycled postcards or postcards made with fiber that comes from sustainable forests. For instance, FSC certified postcards.
2. Reuse/Recycle enveloppes (it can be fun!)
3. Use enveloppes/writing pads made of 100% recycled paper without bleaching products.
4. Use your feet or bike to bring your mail to the postoffice
5. Do your writing during daylight or outside and safe indirectly on energy by using daylight.
6. When soaking off your stamps, do them all together in one time and reuse the water as much as possible.
7. Use refillable pens/highlighters and so on to write.
8. Print on both sides of the paper or reuse old courses and so on to print things for personal use.
9. When wraping things, reuse old paper to wrap them in. Be creative, you can use old maps or newspapers for instance.
10. Get our electricity for our computer from a company that provides it using green sources such as windmills, solar energy, hydro energy, etc, when available.
11. Support an environmental NGO/organisation such as Climate care, WWF, Greenpeace etc.

To help reduce its impact on the environment, Postcrossing has decided to regularly donate to Climate Care, to help reduce its emissions. Climate Care offsets CO₂ by funding sustainable energy projects around the world. These involve replacing non-renewable fuel, working towards increasing energy efficiency, and forest restoration.

We're confident this is a step in the right direction, BUT offsetting emissions should be the last resort. Postcrossing doesn't have enough resources to offset every single postcard sent... this is where YOU can help. By making little choices like the ones suggested above, you too are contributing for a greener hobby.

Comments and suggestions are welcome at the forum.