Magazine publishers in Canada have a guide to green solutions up north. The major Canadian magazine associations, in conjunction with Markets Initiative, have published the Magazine Eco Kit. This 36-page guide is a "a compendium of tips, terms, resources & papers for environmentally friendly magazine publishing."

Dolico Printing produced hard copies, using a new eco-friendly paper, containing 20 percent wheat straw, 40 percent post-consumer recycled fiber and 40 percent completely chlorine-free virgin wood. You can request a copy through Magazines Canada, by emailing info@magazinescanada.ca. The Kit is also available for download as a PDF from the Magazines Canada website.

This version of the Magazine Eco Kit is actually the second edition. It was first released as the Coated Paper Eco Kit in 2004. A key focus is the use of forest-friendly paper, which the Kit covers from multiple angles from issues with cost to working with printers. The developers of the Magazine Eco Kit are especially concerned with the protection of Canada’s Boreal Forest. At 1.4 billion acres, the Boreal Forest contains some of the largest tracts of intact natural forests in the world, comprising 25 percent of the world’s remaining intact ancient forests.

Despite the focus on Canadian sustainability, though, the Magazine Eco Kit is useful for magazine publishers worldwide. It provides an introduction to eco-friendly publishing, as well as tips to get publishers started. It is not a comprehensive guide, but it does not need to be: any publisher worth his salt will take the time to investigate these options thoroughly before changing over his organization to new methods. Instead, the Magazine Eco Kit serves the purpose of bringing these ideas to the attention of publishers who really aren’t familiar with them yet.

“Today, making environmentally friendly choices goes beyond good business practice—we in the magazine industry must do our part to choose the most environmentally friendly papers available to protect and preserve the natural resources upon which we all depend. You are invited to join the growing group of publishers and printers who recognize that the management of paper requires careful stewardship.”

Among the supporters of the Magazine Eco Kit are the British Columbia Association of Magazine Publishers, Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, Manitoba Magazine Publishers Association, Magazines Ontario, Magazines du Québec, Atlantic Magazines Association and Magazines Canada. Markets Initiative is a leading environmental publishing advocate, dedicated to help the book magazine and new paper industries become sustainable.

Image — Magazines Canada