In keeping with what seems to be a personal theme this week about paper recycling, I was motivated by a recent commenter to learn more about magazines and their recyclability.
Nils Davis, said motivating commenter and blogger at Keeping the Lights On, posed this great question:
Can magazines be turned into magazines again, or do they always require ‘virgin’ paper?
Well, I don’t yet have the specifics to answer the first part of that question. But it seems the answer to the second part is a resounding “No.”
While notable names in the glossy, high-fashion end of periodical publishing – think Vanity Fair and Elle – have embraced the annual green issue hype, promoting greeness via their un-green publications, there are some magazine publishers who make eco-publishing their daily M.O.
And not just a few of them. There is a lengthy list of magazines that make the effort to print on environmentally-correct papers.
That can mean using post-consumer recycled content, or it can mean using certified paper, which is promised to come from responsibly-managed forests or to be chlorine-free.
Behold, The List – some of it, anyway, thanks to Co-op America’s Magazine Paper Project:
• Alpinist
• Audubon
• Backyard Living
• Body + Soul
• Climbing Magazine
• Cooking for Two
• Country Woman
• Craft
• E Magazine
• The Ecologist
• Every Day with Rachael Ray
• Farm and Ranch Living
• Fast Company
• Good Magazine
• The Green Guide
• Heeb
• Inc. Magazine
• Mother Jones
• Ms. Magazine
• Natural Home and Garden
• The Nature Conservancy
• Nick (Nickelodeon) Magazine
• Ode
• Organic Life
• Outside
• The Progressive
• Ranger Rick
• ReadyMade
• Russian Life
• Shape
• Surfer Magazine
• Taste of Home
• Trout Unlimited
• Utne
• Yoga Journal
Co-op America lists more than 125 magazines that walk the green walk – so far.
Many of the magazines named clearly lean toward enlightened, environmentally-based lives with active outdoor interests. So they are not surprises, though they still are praise-worthy and much appreciated. At least a few of them — Ode, ReadyMade, Body + Soul — showup at my house regularly.
But there are several major names that should shine some hope for other big brands – Mother Jones, Ms. Magazine, Outside, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Inc. – to one day make their so-called ‘green issues’ actually green, something more than just annual, hey-look-at-us gimmicks.
Related posts:
A By-the-Numbers Look at Paper Recycling: Does One Person’s Effort Do Any Good?
Individual Recycling Efforts Do Have Impact; Magazines Are the Difference-Makers
Recycled Paper at Starbucks, Citigroup and UPS — Where Is It Now?
S.O.S. (Save Our Shredders): The Junk Mail Deluge
Photo: Adam Williams
Robin Shreeves
I receive Body and Soul, also, and while the paper may be post consumer content, the magazine always comes wrapped in plastic. I’ve e-mailed them with no response on the subject.
y
This is absolutely fascinating. I never really thought about “magazine greenness” before and this has really prompted me to think about it.
Nils Davis
Adam – thanks for following up on my comment! I hope a lot more magazines get on the bandwagon of using recycled paper. (We just got a 700 page Vogue at home this month – pretty much too heavy to read!)
Rock The Reactors
You’re missing quite a few. If you want a more international list of green magazines, check here: http://www.remyc.com/paperproject.html