QSL cards and the environmental cost

US radio ham Gerald Goodrich, WA1WIG, released the following statement concerning QSL cards:

“Certainly paper QSL cards transported around the world are the tradition. Perhaps it is time to rethink their value versus impact. We can chop down trees, build and maintain vehicles, burn petrochemicals for processing and transportation and eventually get a card to the desired station.

What does this get us? – A piece of paper that may be pretty on a wall and keep the ARRL awards folks happy. Most of these will not be used long, if at all. Can’t the same be achieved with less impact? EQSL can easily serve the desire for personalized cards if the sender cares to upload a personal photo. Mine have a nature photograph I personally took. Surely eQSL can be improved if users desire.”

Alan Taylor, N7YA, strikes back on the matter…

“I appreciate your concern, however, I don’t think that paper QSLs are a major impact on the environment anymore than environmentally friendly paper bags at the store in lieu of plastic ones. I must disagree about the enjoyment factor of paper QSLs, I enjoy every card that I get…

I actually break out the box from time to time and thumb through them I am not an old fuddy duddy by any means, but I don’t get the same enjoyment from looking at a card on screen as I do from holding a card that made the trip, was filled out and signed by hand from a real operator in some far away place. This is part of the magic that keeps me in a hobby longer than any other I have attempted to endeavor.

I will absolutely agree with your concept when it comes to needless cards going to mega-contest stations…I’m sure the big gun contesters will agree with me…that is a situation that would be better served by electronic means, but it comes down to the signature or manager stamp for awards and such. I accept eQSL for basic courtesy exchanges and I send paper when I need one verified as you pointed out, but there’s a certain enjoyment in getting a small paper card in the mailbox.

Also, take notice that paper logs are considered antiquated nowadays (I still use them for the same reason as the cards, but I digress), most major operations and contest stations use them, computer logging was pretty much non-existent 15 to 20 years ago.

It is my opinion that we are literary running the earth dry; more folks will realize that resources don’t last for ever and we are quite frankly running out of them…it will bite us in the hinder. But finding alternatives to petroleum is a pressing issue, regulating factory and automotive emissions is imperative since deregulation post-2000, I’m with you…but little things like cards only serve to make oneself feel better as opposed to really making an impact, recycling, not dumping used oil down the gutter etc…all great ideas, but unless you can design and present a viable alternative to the paper QSL that can be written on, signed and sent, most will continue to use cardboard…but if you have any ideas, I’ll be more than happy to try it.

By the way, I make my own cards and I print them on 100% recycled cardstock, it works just as well. Thank you for sounding off on this though.”

Source: Radio Bulgaria DX Programme