Magazines and Nature

This is a two-parter as I wanted to blog about both of these items while they're still fresh on my mind and in the air (ahhh spring!)
1. I've signed up for Canada's 30x30 nature challenge. I read about this last year when it was over already and I thought it was a great idea. It's organized through the David Suzuki Foundation - but I suppose anyone could start it on their own at any time. The challenge is to spend 30 min. for 30 days straight in nature. It starts on May 1st and the idea is to re-connect with nature while improving your mental and physical health. I'm going to try my best to do this - no matter what mother nature throws at me - and I'm going to drag my family along with me. There are so many benefits to spending more time in nature such as decreasing stress and anxiety as well as improving your vitamin D production and energy levels. Finally - I want my children to connect with nature so they wish to invest in nature and continue to be enthusiastic and curious about their natural surroundings. I will occasionally blog about our activities in May and participate in the photo contest the challenge is organizing.

2. I have become frustrated with something I used to enjoy. I liked magazines. I liked flipping through them at my parents to find recipes and fashion ideas, I liked perusing them at doctor and dentist offices to distract my mind while waiting my turn, I liked scanning glossy pages - folding down corners to keep track of my wish lists of consumption. However, now not only am I not interested in the type of consumption promoted in these catalogues of advertising, but I am also dismayed by the physical environmental impact these subscriptions create. The past THREE issues of each of my subscriptions were - not only printed on virgin paper - but also encased in PLASTIC! UGH! This plastic's only purpose was to contain extra bits of advertising that might fall out in the mail. I read an excellent paper by The Paper Project titled Turning the Page, Environmental Impacts of the Magazine Industry and Recommendations for Improvement which clearly outlines many issues an ecoconsumer is concerned about. It was written in 2001 - so some of the stats regarding amounts of energy, trees, water etc. used to produce magazines in the US have probably increased. UNLESS.....
Individuals (such as my 'late-to-the-party' self) have decided to go digital! I still was interested in one of my subscriptions so I just called to see if I could go completely online and - no problem! Thanks 'Today's Parent.' However, some of my other subscription providers were not so accommodating. So - goodbye subscription. I hope my cancellation (and explanation to the sales rep.) prompts these companies to think about their green options and start offering some to their customers.