National Geographic branches out; always green, now wants to be seen as green
Funny, we thought that National Geographic, the yellow-bordered staple of many a living room bookcase, was pretty 'green' already. But given the current trend towards heightened ecological consciousness and environmental emphasis, the venerable publication and the Society which publishes it has apparently decided to draw some attention to what it has always done. According to a story in MediaDaily News, National Geo has launched a "green" Web site -- Green.nationalgeographic.com -- which highlights the numerous environmental issues covered by its journalists, photographers and field researchers.
The development follows on National Geographic Society's acquisition of the site greenguide.com, in an effort to move into lifestyle areas with practical and how-to information.
The society already publishes a six-time magazine called The Green Guide (available as either a
print or a digital subscription for $12) that contains coupons for eco-friendly products. The new website is in effect a logical extension of this (as the Green Guide is of its traditional magazine) and gives the society added traction in the consumer marketplace, including reaching audiences who wouldn't have subscribed to National Geographic, which is sometimes thought of as their grandparents' magazine.
The development follows on National Geographic Society's acquisition of the site greenguide.com, in an effort to move into lifestyle areas with practical and how-to information.
Betsy Scolnik, president, National Geographic Digital Media, commented: "We've created Green.nationalgeographic.com to be a multimedia tool kit for green living. It's a powerful communication tool that is interactive, engaging and fun for all ages." The goal, she says, is to encourage individuals to make a difference by "giving them practical advice that empowers them to become environmental stewards."(The site is a monster, with all the latest bells and whistles that will only be accessible to those with a high speed connection. For instance, "Is Your Home a Green House?" is a multimedia, interractive tour (sponsored by Ford) through a typical house that requires Flash 6 or better and between one and four minutes to download at high speed.)
The society already publishes a six-time magazine called The Green Guide (available as either a
print or a digital subscription for $12) that contains coupons for eco-friendly products. The new website is in effect a logical extension of this (as the Green Guide is of its traditional magazine) and gives the society added traction in the consumer marketplace, including reaching audiences who wouldn't have subscribed to National Geographic, which is sometimes thought of as their grandparents' magazine.Labels: environment, green publishing
posted by D. B. Scott at
8:48 am
2 Comments:
It's great that National Geographic, like many other magazines these days, is advocating environmental and ecological awareness to its readers.
Neither their green site nor their magazine site mention using recycled stock or other footprint-reducing measures.
Their ABC statement says they have 5.43 million average paid circulation.
That's a lot of trees. That's a lot of trucks.
the magazine itself is a full-colour glossy w/ what looks like a veneer finish. you can actually smell the inks and dyes on it. to my knowledge they don't use recycled or post-consumer stock, and they are exactly the sort of book that should, as it may help change thinking in the industry.
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