Results Are In: Study Conducted on the Carbon Footprint Of Publishing National Geographic Magazine

Brian Severin
Posted on Friday 19th June 2009

A recent Carbon Footprint Life Cycle Analysis study that indicated in order to produce the paper needed for one National Geographic magazine weighing 12.3 ounces, 1.27 pounds of CO2 equivalents are emitted.

Verso Paper Corp, Quad/Graphics, Inc, Harmony Environmental and National Geographic conducted the comprehensive study, which involved evaluating the carbon footprint associated with publishing National Geographic magazine. Verso announced the results earlier today at the Gravure Association of America Environmental Conference in Toronto.

When factoring in the printing, distribution, packaging and additional activities associated with the development of the magazine, a total of 1.82 pounds of CO2 equivalents are emitted. This is analogous to a motorist driving roughly 2 miles in a standard vehicle with a rating of 20 miles per gallon.

In 2007, the publishers of National Geographic allowed Verso to begin looking into the idea of calculating the magazine’s carbon footprint. Plans for the study began to take shape during the fall of 2008 after an article was published in Gravure magazine citing the results from a previous carbon footprint study conducted by Verso.

test image for this block