First, my apologies if this was discussed on the list before I became a
subscriber.  My library has finally embarked on a recycling project, for
office paper, cardboard, and newspapers, and it has made many of us more
aware of the tremendous waste that surrounds us every day.  One of my staff
(who is leaving us next week to become a landscape gardener) brought me an
Elsevier wrapper and wanted to know why they send their journals in this
kind of envelope.  She compared it to other jurnals that have no wrappers
whatsoever (only mailing labels).  I explained to her that (I assume)  it is
done because of going through the international/overseas mail - that we might
have considerable trouble receiving them in usable condition if they were not
enclosed in something.  But it made me realize that a paper envelope would
probably do the same thing, that it represents a renewable resource, and
that it wouldn't require the clogging of our land-fills with more useless
plastic.  Can/should we, as a group, lobby the publishers to become more
environmentally conscious about this issue?  I do not mena to imply that
Elsevier is any more guilty than others; they just happen to represent the
item that was brought to me.  Is the situation, in general, getting better?
Is this tilting at windmills (no Dutch pun intended)?  I would be interested
in any comments that arise from this issue.  Perhaps there will be an
opportunity at NASIG to explore this more.  Thanks.

Steve Murden
Virginia Commonwealth University

P.S.  If this generates enough interest, I will be glad to provide a
synopsis for the list.