Sustain: supply with sustenance, nourish.

Sustainable: of, relating to, or being a method of… using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.

One key (and obvious) aspect of sustainable communications is being environmentally responsible. We urge clients to consume as few nonrenewable resources and as little energy as possible. Use electronic media rather than print whenever possible, for example. And when paper is unavoidable, print only what’s needed and use vegetable-based inks and paper with 100 percent post-consumer recycled content (the quality and choices are getting better all the time, and recycling no longer requires bleach or harmful chemicals).

But green materials are just one part of sustainable communications. Full sustainability requires honestly assessing your organization’s ability to support your programs over the long haul without budget strain or staff burnout, and developing communications that will serve you as well as possible for as long as possible.

For instance, a website overhaul that lasts several years is far more efficient than one that will need another update in a year. And your organization may be well served by a blog or newsletter, but only if you have the staff time and informational resources to keep it going long enough to gain traction.

Sustainability in any arena requires commitment. But it’s worth it: If you’re able to nourish your communications programs over the long term and keep them fresh and healthy, they’ll pay you back by helping sustain your business. 

First published in the September 2007 issue of Words That Work.