In our quiz last week, we asked "Do you think our public relations image is costing the industry money?"

The narrative responses included:

We have had good results locally with petitions and letters to the editor in local newspapers. Efforts at the national and international level to convince the public and government entities that pulp and paper products are produced from renewable resources, and are energy efficient should be undertaken by companies, industry associations, labor unions, and paper company employees.

I can't elaborate any more than you have covered in previous columns. Those email footers are the worst. I found it promising however, that now I personally work for a very progressive company and when I interview our new production apprentices recently and asked "Why did you apply here?" Many mentioned it was because of our environmental credentials. What a step forward that a 500k tonne mill is thought of locally at least as an environmental front runner.

We spend funds just for the sake of public relations which if spend on development can give better returns.

The standard e-mail warning not to print the e-mail to save trees is good evidence.

P.R. just doesn't seem to be managed very well by paper industry management.

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Jim,

Your comment on air hand dryers – I don’t know how the new high velocity ones are legal.  When someone puts their hands under them the noise level is certainly WELL of 90 decibels.  They hurt my ears.  I’ve thought about complaining about some of the ones in State rest stops.

Neale Fetterly

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