Vanity Fair to Feature Green Issue
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 02.22.06
According to Women’s Wear Daily, Vanity Fair may follow in Elle’s enviro-sensitive footsteps, and publish a green issue this Spring (coinciding with Earth Day). The issue, according to the source, will be published on recycled paper (like Elle) and feature eco-friendly celebrities (such as George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, and former vice president Al Gore) on the cover. The article also includes a snarky comment by an editor from a competing magazine: "How can an issue be ‘green' when you only sell a quarter of the product you produce?" We think this is a good point, and a legitimate stab at the magazine industry in general, where magazines that sell 50 percent of newsstand copies are considered above par. But in an industry based on unpredictable demand…do we have a solution to this? ::Women’s Wear Daily
With regard to the comment on selling only 25-50% of the magazines printed. William McDonough would probably suggest that the magazine business work to create a lightweight polymer (his book "Cradle to Cradle" is made out of polypropelene with inks that can be reclaimed) instead of paper. Then set up their distribution system to disassemble the unsold magazines and run them back through the printing process for future issues. Regarding using trees for paper, McDonough quotes Margaret Atwood "We write our history on the skin of fish with the blood of bears"
Actually, the Vanity Fair issue will hit newsstands before the green ELLE on April 5th. ELLE comes out April 18th. The recycled paper is a new development, because originally it wasn't going to be. I think we have the Magazine Paper Project and Lü for thank for that! ELLE will ONLY be 10% recycled paper. I still don't know what the VF% will be yet. And as far as a cradle-to-cradle magazine... well... that's the pitch Lü is making to Hachette, and Bill McDonough is on staff!
"But in an industry based on unpredictable demand…do we have a solution to this?"
Subscriptions?
One of the solutions is mandatory recycling of unsold magazine inventory at newsstands! There's been such consolidation of point of sale for periodicals, mainly Barnes & Noble and Borders-Amazon, that it's not a big stretch to expect them to finally set up paper recycling in the back of their stores. As it is now, in suburbia, where I live, residents get their paper recycled (blue bin program) but businesses do not! Go figure, right? Business incentive and free markets are fine, to a point. Then without a little help from a gently persuasive bird's eye view common good government, magazines will keep heading to landfills and solid waste incinerators. That's why creating a market for recycled and tree-free paper is key, as it will make paper waste a viable commodity. Pester your newsstands, don't be shy, get on their case for being big fat pigs! The green customer is King!
The solution is already here, we're using it: Distribute all periodicals electronically, through the internet. Save the paper for hand written personal letters, and limited editions of Great Books.
Can someone tell me where i can get a back issue besides going to VF. They dont take AX card and i dont want to head over to e-bay?
ANYONE ADVISE will be appreciated!
THANKS!
A-