Introduction

Until relatively recently there has been an extremely limited number of local green publications available in South Africa. Thanks to a global upsurge in interest in all things green, however, this situation is fast changing. The last few months alone, saw the introduction of *four exciting newcomers to the market (read our interviews with their editors in our article The Green Editors).

Entering the green publication market is no small undertaking. The teams behind green publications often have to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps after spring-boarding from a world which is dominated by money, consumerism, instant gratification and short spans of attention - all this in a valiant attempt at redefining, not only the way in which we live, but the way in which we make and spend money. Ironically this includes the way in which we spend money on publications!

Overview

Note: Values are based on information available at the time of publishing. Going Green is not affiliated with any of the publications mentioned in this article, nor is this article sponsored in any way.

We salute each of these brave and ambitious teams for venturing into a field crammed with challenges.

As the Afrikaans saying goes: "Hoë bome vang die meeste wind" (tall trees catch the most wind). This is definitely the case in this field. The very subject matter of green publications redefines the content and structure of the publications themselves and teams are constantly faced with difficult decisions such as:

"Which type of paper should we use - recycled, triple green, gloss, matte....and what is the cost implication...?"

"What type of ink do we use and where do we get it from...?"

"Should we rather use local less green or cheaper products or should we import a greener option...?"

"Should we be printing anything at all or should our publication be electronic...?"

"How do we handle the profit from sales...or do we rely on advertisers and make the publication free....?"

"How do we maintain our values but still manage to survive....?"

"How do we decide who writes what and who can advertise in our publication...and where is the greenwash dividing line...?"

"How do we inform readers of the green products they're looking for without becoming a printed infomercial...?"

"Do we aim for the main-stream or would this compromise our values...?"

"Are we really willing to deal with all these questions or should we head for the hills while we still can...???"

All that can be said for certain is that no matter what decision is taken, someone (and most likely someone who has never attempted to embark on such a noble quest themselves) will be disgruntled. No green publication can ever be all things to all people and each is unique in its own way. This is why we salute each and every one of these teams for stepping up and making a difference!

Enjoy this glipse into some of our favourite South African green publications. Next time you'd like to relax, indulge in a refreshing fruit drink and pick up one of South Africa's excellent green publications!