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Of all the wood harvested globally for so-called "industrial uses"-that is, everything but fuelwood-42 percent gets siphoned off for paper production, a proportion that the World Watch Institute expects to shoot up more than 50 percent in the next 50 years. But it gets worse: Around 71 percent of the world's paper supply isn't produced from timber harvested at tree farms, but from forested-harvested timber, from regions with ecologically valuable, biologically diverse habitats, according to a 2004 study (PDF) by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Yet less than 5 percent of all magazine paper contains any recycled content at all. To find out if your magazine made the cut, visit Co-op America's Woodwise site for a list of rags that have committed to using post-consumer recycled paper or responsibly sourced virgin fibers. Don't see your favorite mag? Click below the fold for a sample letter, courtesy of Woodwise, that you can pop in the mail to the various publishers. You can find the publisher's name and the magazine's address in the masthead, which usually comes after the table of contents.
See also: ::Green Your Media: Download Your Books and Magazines
Difficulty level: Easy Dear Publisher,
I am writing to inquire whether ____ magazine is printed on recycled paper. I enjoy reading your magazine and would like learn more about its environmental impact.
Out of approximately 18,000 magazine titles, 100 of those are currently using recycled paper, and this number is steadily growing. Magazines that have recently made the switch include Bust, Pink, ReadyMade, with many others exploring their environmental options. It is heartening these magazines recognize the pressures they are placing on our forests and have taken steps to reduce their footprints.
As a consumer who wants to shop responsibly, I prefer to invest my money in magazines that work to minimize their environmental impact. I hope that your magazine is a product I can count on to help preserve our rapidly shrinking forests.
Please visit www.magazinepaper.org to read about how you can start making the switch to recycled paper and sustainable production processes. The Magazine PAPER Project at Co-op America provides free technical assistance for magazines researching environmentally responsible paper and production options.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
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