I absolutely love snail mail. (In fact, I wrote my college essays about how much I love it). Now, call me old fashioned, but I think it's just so much more meaningful. Unlike email and facebook, it requires paper and gas to get things from point A to point B, so I know that I'm going to get some backlash for this. "Dear Harper, I can't believe you are cutting down trees and burning fossil fuels because you're sentimental! You're a stupid bitch." But if I want to send more than just a message, I send it with mail.
Facebook is great for a "wanna come over saturday at 5? We're watching Moulin Rouge" and asking what the homework was, but when you want to send tangible things like a real handwritten letter and a mix CD, it's all about snail mail.
Last June, my friend Allie graduated high school and now she's a college girl. I couldn't find her in the blue-robed swarm that was my high school's campus and so, she didn't get her graduation present, a book on things to do before leaving college. It was a joint gift from me and my younger sister. I waited for her to send out her mailing address, and then we wrote her our letters. Then I had to go out and get a mailer to send it in. I went to the local Staples.
I was looking for something a little padded so that the book corners would tear the thing open. I was about to go for the traditional bubble-wrap mailer for $1.29. Luckily I continued browsing and doubled back through the aisle. There, on the other end of the aisle, were these lovely mailers, made of recycled paper, padded with recycled paper and unbleached. They were the same price, better for the environment, and I didn't have to buy those sticky address labels that are super cool, but eight bucks for a pack of fifty-- and I needed WAY less than fifty. (Forty-nine less, in fact.) Given that I'm broke and trying to be greener, this looked like a pretty sweet deal.
