Goodbye Amnesty International

Well not quite goodbye. Amnesty International are a top organisation, one of the best. If you don't know about them you should check them out here and donate some money.
Amnesty International

I am an Amnesty member and I donate monthly. But I've asked them today to stop sending me letters. I get lots of letters from them telling me about some pretty horrific things that are happening around the world, sometimes asking me for more money. Printed letters, with glossy printed leaflets, and return envelopes. I have on occasion donated extra money, but usually I hold onto the letters for a while, and then feel guilty about throwing the papers in the recycling.
If I think back from when I throw this paper in the bin there is a whole chain of waster power that has generated these letters that I don't want. The postie drove them to my postbox. Some machine probably packed the envelope. The leaflets were printed. The reply envelope was printed. The letter was printed. The paper was transported to the printers. The Ink was transported to the printers. The ink was manufactured. The paper was manufactured. The raw materials were transported to the manufacturers. Hell's teeth. The raw materials probably include some trees that were pulled out of a forest that had been capturing carbon. An endless cycle of energy use and waste for a letter that I didn't want that I threw in the recycling.
So, I've asked Amnesty not to send them. I hope they listen. I've also asked them to stop calling me too. The decision not to get letters goes with the decision that I will probably not donate more. That is a very hard decision. If I donate more to anyone it will probably be to WWF or someone who is doing something about climate change. Well, never say never. I still get emails from Amnesty...or did I unsubscribe??!