Good Causes Gone Bad

In an extra large FedEx envelope from Los Angeles, in an unmarked cardboard box, I received a luggage-tag from DoubleTree Hotels asking me to "Tag It!". Initially I was confused. Tag what? My luggage? Upon further investigation, I discovered that it was an invitation from the company asking me to "tag" a tree and participate in "the ultimate game of 'eco-tag' this spring!"

Doubletree and the Arbor Day Foundation are working with Teaching Kids to CARE to help students learn more about nature and the outdoors through this tree tagging campaign titled Get To Know The Tree Next Door. Over 10,000 students will be tying tags on trees that outline unique facts about the tree as a teaching tool. I just hope for their fall campaign they consider this title: Removing Unwanted Trash From Trees.

The idea has a good cause, but I do question the execution, especially, the PR department's decision to fly that over-packaged luggage tag to my desk from L.A. to New York. Think of all the CO2 those poor trees now have to make up for!