Magazine production in the US results in the logging of more than 35 million trees per year. Deforestation releases carbon dioxide, one of the main causes of global warming. Magazines that end up in landfills give off methane, another major greenhouse gas, as they decompose.

Alpinist has been fortunate since our start to publish a magazine our readers want to hold on to. More than 90% of Alpinist readers keep their back copies, by far the highest percentage of any climbing magazine. But this by itself wasn’t enough, so in Spring 2006, Alpinist’s Issue 15 became the first climbing magazine to be published on 50% recycled, total chlorine-free paper, using sustainable forestry for the remaining paper. Coupled with our archival-quality production values, our Earth Ink Sustainable Publishing program made us the outdoor industry’s first sustainably published magazine.

Starting with Issue 18, Alpinist is published on 100% post-consumer waste recycled content paper using a custom formulated soy-based ink set. Together with our archival quality, we’re once again right where we want to be: preserving the places of our inspiration even as we celebrate them in print.

—Christian Beckwith