TreeHugger Picks: Print Mags We're Reading
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 02.26.07
Awhile back, we posted on what books the TH team was reading (hint: there's another similar post coming soon!) and have picked a few "TreeHugger Bibles" that are required reading for all TreeHuggers at some point, but we like to keep our eyes on the print magazine scene, too. They help us track green trends in the lifestyle, design & science fields, and offer a good litmus test for mainstream media's take on green; every now and then, we get to help out, like with the latest issue of domino magazine. Here are some of our favorite mags that get regular coverage here on TreeHugger.
1) Dwell magazine offers a different, usually greener, take on architecture.
2) House & Garden concentrates on "design for the well-lived life," and we've enjoyed seeing that design get a little greener lately (for a blog full of green design for the well-lived life, check out TreeHugger's blog at their website).
3) Mags like I.D., Wallpaper* and Surface focus more on design and less on lifestyle, and are great places for cool-hunting and the combination of good design & green design.
4) The UK-based Sublime offers a unique take as "the world's first international ethical lifestyle magazine."
5) Sierra magazine and E Magazine offer a green look at the world from all angles, from the activism of the Sierra Club to green trends, news and views galore from E.
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- What Makes a Good Product Service System?
- Random House Hot for E-Books, Digitizing Thousands of Titles
- Coal Pellet Stove Introduced in Uganda
- TreeHugger Desks Around The World
Great mags, all of these. I'm a big fan of publishing, and while the magazine heyday is long over, it's great to see this attention. My only issue is with the selection of Dwell. Rather, the description as "different and greener". Both, in my eyes, are erroneous descriptions. Dwell features the same boxy flat homes issue after issue after issue. Designs that were modern in 1970 but now are far from it - were they 'different' Dwell wouldn't be a best-selling magazine across numerous demographics. Architectually speaking, the mag is beyond dull. As for Green, well - it's laughable to think that Dwell promotes sustainability. Take a look at the advertisers - or last year's 'small home' issue that promoted 2000 square foot homes as 'tiny'.
I'm waiting for the compostable Treehugger Monthly. I'd buy twenty copies each month if only to promote the sustainability of the business model!
What about World Watch magazine? Or GOOD?
I love print publications, especially the ones listed in the post. That being said, I also agree that the print magazine heyday is long gone. Within the new era of the blog, information, trends, opinions, ect. are dispersed into the masses at an alarming pace. In turn there is no need for the monthly, bi-monthly, weekly, or even daily print publication. In addition, the wasted energy and materials from print publications is astronomical. You can now get your information by the minute and with no paper waste.
you should check out Plenty mag.