Does Your News-Stand up to Green Living?

Courtesy of theseanster93 flickr/cc

In a previous article I shared a list of books on the environment, eco-friendly living, sustainability and more. So, naturally I thought I would share my list of magazines that celebrate a green and healthy lifestyle. More and more publications are writing about how to take care of our planet and ourselves.

Going to a newsstand to find a good read is still a bright spot in my day. There are tons of titles to choose from and topics to enlighten. If you can’t quite shell out the green for as many as you would like try the library where you can relax, and enjoy the quiet or ask the newsstand if they have older copies you can purchase for less. Ordering a subscription offers much better bang for the buck and there are even discount magazine companies for better rates.

Kindles are great and online magazines too, but to me there is nothing like thumbing through a magazine, enjoying its vivid colors, its array of snazzy ads and turning the pages to learn more.

Although eco-friendly is probably not what comes to mind as you survey the array of glossy magazines. Many publishers don’t print on recycled paper. According to Magazine Publishers of America (MPA) only 200 out of 17,000 magazines are printed on recycled paper.

Green America offers the Better Paper Program by which their magazine members can have access to a number of resources to help their publication reduce greenhouse gases, preserve forests and divert solid waste from landfills.  Every title on my list is part of their program except for National Geographic, which is really surprising and very disappointing!

The MPA states that only 20% of magazines are recycled after reading so they created the Please Recycle This Magazine program, which is an industry wide campaign to educate readers on how to recycle their magazines.

Check out my list of 18:

1. Audubon — The century-old, award-winning flagship magazine of the National Audubon Society.
2. Boho — An eco-friendly publication and also the first fashion magazine to be 100% recycled in our paper, packaging and inks.
3. E-The Environmental Magazine — A bimonthly clearinghouse of information, news and resources for people concerned about the environment.
4. Earth Island Journal — Quarterly magazine combines investigative journalism and thought-provoking essays that make connections between the environment and other contemporary issues.
5. KIWI — For parents who want to raise their children and enjoy their lives in the healthiest way possible.
6. Mother Earth News — Provides a wide-ranging, expert editorial coverage of organic foods, country living, green transportation, renewable energy, natural health and green building.
7. National Geographic — Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888.
8. Natural Health — Everything you need to know about healthy eating, green living, the mind/body connection, eco-friendly beauty and fitness.
9. Natural Home and Garden — Gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes.
10. Ode — An international magazine about the people, passion & possibilities changing our world for the better.
11. Organic Spa Magazine — Provides inspiration, insight, and expert advice on how to live a more sustainable and balanced life.
12. Outside — Inspires active participation in the world outside through award-winning coverage of the sports, people, places, adventure, discoveries, health and fitness, gear and apparel, trends and events that make up an active lifestyle.
13. Plenty — An environmental media company that publishes a bi-monthly magazine.
14. Sierra — An indispensable guide for people who care deeply about nature.
15. Utne — Interested in creating a conversation about everything from the environment to the economy, politics to pop culture.
16. Vegetarian Times — At the forefront of the healthy living movement, providing delicious recipes, expert wellness information and environmentally sound lifestyle solutions to a wide variety of individuals.
17. YES! –– Empowers people with the vision and tools to create a healthy planet and vibrant communities.
18. Yoga Journal — Thirty year old publication serving yoga teachers and the ever-growing yoga community.

Next time you read a magazine, recycle the content as well as the publication!