26 April 2008

It's creeping me out how every magazine is having it's "Green Issue" right now, and it's all marketed like some current trend that will soon be outdated. I know it's Earth Day time and all, but seriously, I don't remember this from past years. And the weirdest thing of all is that the articles tell the reader of all these "sustainable" and "green" products to buy. It doesn't really make sense to tell people to buy more stuff if you're trying to encourage them to live in a sustainable way, does it? And printing millions of paper magazines to tell you to tread more lightly on the earth is just even more ridiculous. The articles give you the impression that if you would just buy this one particular $40 lipstick, you would be taking a giant step toward saving the planet...as if the entire process of creating that tube of lipstick was just a way of blessing the earth and undoing all sorts of previous evils. Ridiculous.

12 comments:

Matt said...

I think this post is really important. I reposted it on my blog, which is here: eightthousand8.blogspot.com. Thanks, dudes.

Anonymous said...

When we all know the real green movement involves much more WEED than these magazines are letting on.

GET A LIFE, MONTHLY PUBLICATIONS!

(and by like I clearly mean joint)

also, should we start putting out green issues of our blogs?

hi high places. hope you are wellsies.

Anonymous said...

and by "like" i clearly meant "life".

oy.

Anonymous said...

i think business people are not naive enough to think everyone will give up their daily luxuries but are instead offering options that aren't as harmful. some will have money as their sole motive, others have genuine concern for the changing environment. as for the consumers, if they're making a small step in the right direction, i guess it's better than nothing?

MARY said...

Yes yes. I know what you are saying. However, I think that is just the obvious impression most of these magazines are trying to give off. I was simply trying to challenge people to think a little harder about how such actions (i.e. printing magazines, manufacturing lipstick) affect the environment, even if such actions are done in the name of sustainability. So often it seems like people are asking magazines and other authorities to tell them how to live life instead of thinking through their own actions. And that's what worries me about this whole "Green" trend. I am all for any steps taken toward preserving what is left of our natural world. I'm sorry if I came across like a grumpy pessimist. It just worries me that eco-friendly products would be marketed as a trend, and not as part of a lifestyle.

MARY said...

Perhaps instead of suggesting new products for their readers to purchase, the magazines could have instead suggested readers recycle magazines, bring their own bags to grocery stores, take shorter showers, bike to work, support small local farms, etc. etc. If there is a green trend right now, let's at least "exploit" it in a positive way to teach people life skills that will lessen their impact on the environment even after the whole eco-friendly product fad has diminished.

GavinR said...

That's so funny. I was talking to a pal in the UK earlier who told me a contestant on The Apprentice UK proposed a greeting card for Earth Day. Huh!?! What "green" person in their right mind would purchase a greeting card and support such waste of materials?

On a seperate note: who has heard BERG SANS NIPPLE "On the Quai"? Horrible name, great music!! Highly recommended.

Anonymous said...

This is true, but unforunately people are so dumb at this point that it's better than nothing....I guess :(

Anonymous said...

I guess those "green" magazines are as earth friendly as sending 2 people around the world to play music to a couple thousand people. Don't throw stones when you fly in glass aeroplanes. Dig a little deeper other then the obvious objection to media.

MARY said...

Hmmm, yeah it totally stresses me out to think of the environmental impact of traveling by plane or van. Even though Rob and I bike, walk and take public transportation in New York, we tour many times a year, and we haven't yet figured out how we can avoid using planes or automobiles to do that. There are plenty of other ecological conundrums associated with being in a band, i.e. all the waste created by releasing records, flyering, manufacturing musical equipment. I never meant to sound above reproach or to come across anti-media in this post. I think it is great that the media is encouraging so many people to be more conscientious consumers. What worries me is that "shopping green" is being marketed as a seasonal trend, alongside gladiator sandals and cut-away swimsuits. Instead of being encouraged to think about all the environmental implications of one's way of life, readers are simply told that buying one kind of lipstick over another kind will save the planet from pollution and waste. And I worry that the word "green" will be completely passe by fall.

Anonymous said...

Public transportation is a great way to be "green". I hope you both take advantage of the more eco-friendly ways to package music and support recycling backstage. "Green" is already a trend, which is both good and bad. We just need to keep all of his momentum going. I work for an eco-friendly building supply company so I get sensitive when people right off green products and don't examine the larger picture. There is potential in every industry. I love your music and didn't mean to offend by my last comment.

Anonymous said...

mary you said you didn't know a way how to tour and be a "green" band...well cloud cult from Minneapolis, fronted by Craig Minowa who is an enviromental scientist, have already solved the problem. They have a nonprofit music label Earthology Records which is heated entirely with geothermal energy, also, used to ship their albums in recycled jewel cases. I picked up their album at their show made out of recycled material, and a recycled material shirt. The best part is that they travel in a biodiesel van! I really enjoyed their music before I found all this out and I like them even more now. Look into it!