That might sound a little dramatic, but I am really excited about this change, which by absolute chance also coincides with the start of the new year.
DIYODE text pages are now officially using PEFC certified recycled paper stock! I did note this happening a few months back, however this is the first issue to use the new stock.
We've maintained the same cover price, the same frequency, and honestly, from the samples we made this decision on, the paper is easier to read text on. So in my personal view, there's nothing to lose and everything to gain here. When it comes to the cover, we couldn't yet find a recycled paper that maintains shelf appeal the same way, but we'll continue to work on that to use PEFC certified recycled paper stock all the way through.
What I have to say however is that one aspect of this change disappointed me. When I first announced this we had a handful of people who took insult and exception to this move. Some even unsubscribed as a result.
While political discussions around "green" can yield heated discussion, we've simply made a move for the better. This isn't a political statement or anything like that.
In my personal opinion, if a company can produce less waste, use more biodegradable products, or reduce a carbon footprint, then why shouldn't we? Regardless of your position on climate change, if there's no downside, why wouldn't a change be a good thing?
Anyway, the change is made, and we feel it's for the better. For print subscribers, the plastic wrap which protects your copy from the weather is also biodegradable too. It always has been, but now we got you thinking about it, you might wonder.
In other news, we have also relocated the DIYODE office to a nearby location. Our previous office was stair-access only, which meant storing back-issue stock offsite, and no accessibility access. While we worked around these challenges, we had an opportunity to utilise a great new location which includes warehousing. To the hundreds of new subscribers we've seen this month, welcome to DIYODE too. Thanks for coming on this journey!
Rob Bell