Greener solution

I have been thinking about sustainability and periodical publishing. Magazines and newspapers are inherently unfriendly to the environment. The mind boggles at how much material is consumed by the newspaper industry alone to produce daily papers, even before you consider the resources used to distribute then and the waste that is left behind.

Here is a quick idea to reduce the waste.

Tandem Subscriptions (two or more separate subscribers per issue), each issue is sent alternately to one subscriber then the other. Both are motivated to read and pass on by both concern for the environment and self interest.

How hard can it be? Would work better for magazines because they are less time sensitive.

Not brain surgery but a greener solution. Greenest would be to read your publications online.

(Green, Greener, Greenest from The Green Marketing Manifesto by John Grant - GreenNormal)

My colleagues at HB media have just launched their magazine on sustainability Good.
It looks very smart. I'm looking forward to reading it properly. I have one initial qualm. The magazine came with a card inserted to protrude above the covers and attract attention in-store. It is made from different material to the magazine and requires several processes to implement but it serves no real purpose (packaging without utility). The copy on the card exhorts the user not to waste the resource, instead using it as a bookmark or coaster. I thought it ironic that New Zealand's first 'carbon neutral' magazine was indulging in pointless waste.

Oh,and Idealog picked up business magazine of the year again at the MPAs (along with editor of the year for Matt Cooney and some design trophies)…well done, …very proud.

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