When is "too much" too much?

When is "too much" too much? 

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020
©LeDomduVin 2020

Like every year, we received countless amount of "Happy New Year" cards from the Chateaux in Bordeaux. It is a nice gesture and it is much appreciated... 

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020 (2)
©LeDomduVin 2020

Look how beautiful this card from Domaine Clarence Dillon signed by Prince Robert of Luxembourg is, isn't it ?... 

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020 (3)
©LeDomduVin 2020

And after opening the envelope, the card itself comes into, not 1, not 2, but 3 more folders. Isn't it nice? Or a bit too much (should I say)? And I can't even imagine how high their marketing budget must be.?... 

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020 (4)
©LeDomduVin 2020

However, as nice and beautiful as it is, it is also discouraging and sad.

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020 (5)
©LeDomduVin 2020

Discouraging because, in an age where we are asking people to pay more attention to the environment, their carbon footprint, to recycle, to consume less to reduce their waste, prestigious Chateaux should be leading the way and showing the right example. But that is not the case unfortunately. . . 

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020 (6)
©LeDomduVin 2020

And sad because in an age where climate change is induced by pollution and deforestation (among other things), I can't help thinking about the trees and nature, when I have to unfold so many folders to read a "Best Wishes" card that will end up in the trash bin few minutes or a few days later. . .

Domaine Clarence Dillon Happy New Year Card 2020 (7)
©LeDomduVin 2020

Don't get me wrong, I love the wines from Domaine Clarence Dillon (Haut-Brion more especially being my favourite wine in the world), and I have the utmost respect for Prince Robert of Luxembourg, but still, I'm asking you the question again (even for luxury goods):

When is "too much" too much ?...

In my opinion, this type of elaborated "Happy New Year" cards are terribly bad for the environment, as for example, this particular card comes into 1 envelope + 3 folders inside before you can get to it. It is a lot of waste for a card that will last only a few minutes before being trashed in the bin (as I was saying above).

And it is true, the intention and the gesture are nice and very much appreciated.

However, it is still bad for the trees, and it generates more useless trash and frankly travelled all the way through from France to Hong Kong to arrive on my desk for basically nothing.

I can even risk myself saying that this is the kind of things that has to stop if we want to save our little planet.

Of course, we can also take the problem on a different angle by saying that if we stop the Christmas card then the graphic designer, the printer, the postman, and the people on the chip or the plane may have less work or even end up losing their jobs.... but, at some point, we are going to have to make a choice... (sigh)

What should we save? The Christmas and New Year cards or our planet?

I let you meditate on that...

Santé! Cheers!

LeDomduVin (a.k.a. Dominique Noel)

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #domaineclarencedillon @domaineclarencedillon @chateauhaut_brion #hautbion #bestwishes #bestwishescard #happynewyear #happynewyearcard #pollution #environment #waste #reduceyourcarbonfootprint #lesphotosadom #lesmessagesadom #whenistoomuchtoomuch #wine #vin #vino #wein @ Hong Kong