LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Author: [no author name found]

To the Editor:


I recently received a mailing from Middlebury College asking, on its cover, whether I am "e-conscious." This apparent effort at environmental activism on the part of the College pleased me immensely. That is, until I opened the letter.
Inside, to my surprise, was another solicitation from the College's Annual Giving Office. Worse yet, this solicitation strongly implied that if I failed to reply promptly with a check I would be directly contributing to the downfall of the environment.
Not only would I have the fate of future Middlebury scholars hanging on my conscience should I fail to contribute sufficiently to the fund, I was now also burdened by the prospect of forests being destroyed on my behalf to provide fodder for future appeals.
While I applaud Middlebury College's Annual Giving Office in its efforts to promote environmental consciousness, I must say that I condemn the use of this issue as a transparent ploy to increase early responses to the annual appeal.
Surely if the Annual Giving Office is sincere in its desire to reduce paper consumption it can find other ways to achieve this reduction than placing the impetus on the shoulders of the alumnus. Many of the models for such reductions are already in place.
I received the text of this "E-Conscious Appeal" in two forms: as a traditional paper solicitation in my mailbox, and as an e-mail. Why not just send the solicitations in e-mail form, or at least give alums the option of choosing to only receive electronic appeals?
As it stands, I greatly resent the implication of the message that I am somehow acting irresponsibly towards the environment if I fail to send my check in early.
I work for an environmental conservation organization. I recycle all that my community allows. I compost my kitchen refuse. I use a composting toilet in my residence. I cannot, however, afford to give to Middlebury's Annual Appeal at this time. Does this last failure, therefore, brand me as somehow "un-e-conscious"? I don't think it does, and I don't think I should be forced to reckon with this question or be made to feel guilty about my ultimate decision.


Sincerely,
Peter Morgan '01




Editor's note: Peter Morgan currently works for the Nature Conservancy on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.