August 17, 2011 - New Orleans, LA. The Association of Alternative Newsmedia (formerly the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies), representing 129 alternative weekly news organizations, voted unanimously to endorse the Newspaper Industry Environmental Vision at its annual July convention in New Orleans.

“The AAN is showing its leadership in the industry by endorsing the Environmental Vision,” said Shannon Binns, Green Press Initiative. “It’s not just a step towards a more sustainable industry, but one that’s more viable too.”

The Environmental Vision is comprised of five goals aimed at supporting a healthy climate and protecting endangered and high conservation value forests, increasing recycled content and supporting best practices in forest management, maximizing production efficiency, and supporting best practices in both print and digital media operations.

“Endorsing the Vision sends a strong message to newsprint suppliers that publishers are interested in where their paper comes from, and what the impacts are on our world’s climate, forests and species,” said Tara Sawatsky, Canopy’s corporate campaigner.

“It makes sense to encourage the marketplace to provide environmentally sustainable products – and as such it was an obvious step for AAN to endorse the Newspaper Industry Environmental Vision,” said Tiffany Shackelford, AAN’s Executive Director.

 The creation of the Newspaper Industry Environmental Vision was facilitated by Canopy and Green Press Initiative, and with input from leading newspaper printers, associations, newsprint producers, and publishers, including AAN member NOW Magazine.

Copies of the Newspaper Industry Environmental Vision are available at:

http://canopyplanet.org/campaigns/newspaper/newspaper-environmental-industry-vision/