National Geographic Launches Green Guide Print Magazine

Posted on March 11, 2008

National Geographic is launching a new quarterly magazine called The Green Guide. The Green Guide website has been around since 2002. They answered a few questions on the website about the decision to launch a print publication instead of a digital one.

Wouldn't it be more green to go digital-only?
We've always had a digital version of the Green Guide. So for the magazine, we partnered with Texterity to create an online edition, which gives all the text and ads in the print version, but in some ways is better because everything is hyperlinked. It's a very dynamic, paper-free version of the magazine. And it will be available February 28, a week before the print issue!
As for print, there's a debate about the paper that should go into magazines. Ours is Forest Stewardship Council-certified, which means the wood pulp comes from well-managed forests and is tracked at every step on the way from harvesting through processing until it reaches the printer. Ten percent of our paper content comes from post-consumer-waste recycled content-there is paper with higher recycled content, but we value FSC's commitment to forest conservation. The ink, which contains no heavy metals, was created by Quad graphics and derives from renewable sources including soy, corn and linseed.

The Q&A also explains why National Geographic launched such a different magazine. It says, "National Geographic's mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. It's the mission of the Green Guide to provide people with the tools to do this. We are a research-based service invested in our reporting and we set high standards for ourselves that are consistent with National Geographic's approach. They, like us, take the tough science and make it available for lay people. We're a natural addition to the National Geographic team; you see the Green Guide is just a part of an NG-wide initiative to provide more green content in books, on television or in magazines, all working together to inspire and engage people in positive ways to protect the planet."

As the Q&A explains they also have a digital version of the magazine.

Some of the stories in the premiere issue include Lose 142 pounds (of Carbon) in a Week, Save $60 a Week-and the Planet, Green Your Car, Greener Is Cleaner and Quiz: Is Your Salad Safe?

A subscription to the Green Guide will cost $15.