In the spirit of our April Green Living issue, I thought it was time to express again why I and the other 80+Natural Awakenings publishers across the county do what we do, why Natural Awakenings is different, and why the magazine looksthe way it does.

Although I think our covers are lovely, we don’t look like other magazines. As acommitmentto making Natural Awakenings a sustainable business, we use only 100 percent recycled newsprint and nontoxic soy-based inks. The coating used to make magazines shine is harder to recycle, so no glossy covers for us.

We want as many people as possible to read our articles and benefit from the advice of our experts, so we’re free. But unlike some other free magazines, we don’t mail copies indiscriminately to households that may not want one. Mailed copies more often than not end up in the trash, unread.  Readers who pick up a copy of Natural Awakenings do so because they want to. We offer quality articles, informative health briefs, and news about the local health, wellness, and green community. Our content matters to our readers. In fact, just today I received a call from a reader who said one of our articles helped her with a health issue she was having, and she asked where she could find a copy in her neighborhood.

While many magazines are moving online, we’re committed to staying in print. In these days of constant media bombardment, with audio and digital books, mailboxes full of spam, and smartphones beeping with text messages, it’s actually a nice throwback to sit down with a cup of tea and a real magazine in your hands. (But we also offer a digital version, app, and website.)

We’re also local; we get to know our advertisers and our readers. And if you haven’t met us yet, stop by our tent at the Maplewood Green Day, on Saturday, April 27. It’s one of the largest Earth Day events in the area, with more than 3,000 people attending last year. We’d love to say hi and hear what you think about Natural Awakenings.

Ana