"We're taking green mainstream," say the magazine's publishers.

A couple of years ago, Terry Tremaine, co-owner of Vancouver-based Fusion Publishing Inc., came across a piece of research that inspired the idea for Good Life Living Green, a new pro-environmentalism lifestyle magazine that will premiere later this month. The research, Tremaine says, showed that what's true for singing frogs also holds true for the richest 20% of the population. As he explains it, “the bottom 20% of the market had totally bought into the notion, as Al Gore presented it, that the sky was falling [while] the top 20% of the market were the most skeptical.” The new title aims to “inform and inspire” all those wealthy cynics to go green for the good of mankind.

The first issue of Good Life Living Green will reach that audience (100,000 households with income over $85K) through the Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star and the Montreal Gazette. Readers who like it can visit the magazine’s website and request a free subscription. (Readers are, however, encouraged to donate to an environmental organization, either Tree Canada or the Sierra Club Canada.)

Those who want to save a few trees can opt for a digital edition, produced by Zinio. So far, though, only a handful of people have shown that kind of leafy love. “We’ve run some ads in our other publications,” says Tremaine, “so we’ve already begun to develop a request base. It’s surprising how low the percentage is who want digital. Hard copy still seems to be the way to go.” Of course, the dead tree edition is printed by an FSC certified printer (Teldon) on FSC-certified paper.

David Chalk, who, according to the magazine’s website, is a “technology connoisseur” known to “millions of people” (he’s probably best-known as host of the syndicated Dave Chalk’s Computer Show) is the magazine’s celebrity, vegetarian editor-in-chief.

Content in the magaizne is service-heavy, providing readers with tips on how to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle while still enjoying the comforts of material wealth (e.g. buy local wine). There’s a feature that looks at the science of global warming by Sunni Lewis of Environmental News Service, a section on innovations in electronics, green science and transportation, and the “Report on Green Energy,” a guide for investors who want to put some money into companies focused on alternative power sources.

Advertisers for the first issue include General Motors (promoting its hybrid line), Plutonic Power Corporation (a green energy company), Silk (soy milk) and Lush (handmade soaps and natural cosmetics). The rate for a full page is $9,950.

As the recent hubbub over Vanity Fair’s recent less-than-green “Green Issue” proves, publishers spreading the green gospel need to practice what they preach or risk harsh criticism. Fortunately, Fusion  doesn't need to worry. “We’re a virtual company,” Tremaine says. "Everybody works out of home offices, so nobody has to drive into work every day." On the other hand, “Nobody’s even having to pedal in,” Tremaine says with a laugh. “So they’re not getting any healthier as a result.”

Related links

• Fusion Publishing Inc.