Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 81 total)
  • Plea to Singletrack – subscribers plastic packaging why?
  • iain1775
    Free Member

    Not sure if this has been done before as very rarely on here these days having lost my interest in the mtb industry/press in general and to be honest I cancelled my sub a while ago so now seeing out the last couple of issues (they keep coming, they remain largely unread!)

    Why oh why are Singletrack magazines delivered to subscribers in a plastic envelope
    Can this not be changed to a paper envelope or cardboard (like Cranked comes in)

    Or is the plastic wrapping recyclable, there is nothing on it to indicate it is

    I’m not a diehard environmentalist by any stretch but like to do whatever I can and this would seem to be a simple change to make, perhaps someone from the mag could comment?

    IdleJon
    Full Member

    I noticed that the Cycling UK mag arrived in recyclable packaging last week.

    andybrad
    Full Member

    cost

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
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    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Non subscriber moans about free magazine.

    How very STW.

    bearnecessities
    Full Member

    Paper magazine sent in paper packaging probably wouldn’t arrive in tip-top shape 🙂

    sharkbait
    Free Member

    I read that plastic bag production uses less energy and produced less CO2 than paper bags (which it seems is why supermarkets keep using plastic carrier bags) – cost issue?

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I’m speculating but, isn’t it entirely possible that it’s down to the distributor and STW has no say in the matter (other than to switch distributor)?

    aide
    Full Member

    Often wondered this myselfwould be good to know that the packaging could be recycled but don’t think it can in its current form

    russyh
    Free Member

    Wish mine turned up at all without having to chase….

    mattbee
    Full Member

    Camping and Caravan Club mag and National Trust mag (how middle aged dies that make me sound!) both come in recyclable ‘plastic replacement’ packaging. Be nice if ST could investigate switching.

    sebcranked
    Full Member

    Plastic bags are cheap and light, which helps to reduce shipping costs. Cardboard wrappers and envelopes are more expensive to begin with and also heavier, potentially adding more cost. Generally speaking the publisher gets to choose, and the distributor invoices accordingly. Cranked uses card envelopes because they’re recyclable and they offer much better protection to the mag (although, to be fair, our office copy of ST usually turns up undamaged in its plastic wrapper).

    TomB
    Full Member

    How much more do the potato starch wrappers cost?

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Use Cellophane?

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Plastic bags are cheap and light

    … and also waterproof of course, unlike paper.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    Digital sub here, costs me less and even fewer trees have to be pulped. I’m not worried about sniffing pages though.

    sebcranked
    Full Member

    Plastic bags are cheap and light

    … and also waterproof of course, unlike paper.

    Sure. Although, thousands and thousands of mag deliveries all over the world later, we’ve only lost two to the weather (leaving a cardboard envelope actually in a puddle isn’t likely to do either it or the contents any favours…)

    twistedpencil
    Full Member

    Cardboard works for me though I can see the additional cost in posting. Compostable wrappers must be the way forward though. Single use plastic should be phased out by law, but until that happens maybe enlightened publishers should use alternatives?

    Goes to sit at the front door to await Cranked 16…

    Cougar
    Full Member

    So,

    I’ve just spoken with Mark, and this afternoon he’s been in contact with their printers to enquire about more eco-friendly packaging. They’ve come back and proposed a bio-plastic solution made from potato starch. It’s 100% biodegradable, compostable and recyclable. He’s asked for pricing on this and is now awaiting a quote.

    IF it proves affordable and IF they can get their ducks in a row in time, this could be place as soon as the next issue.

    And I suppose if those things don’t happen then they’ve looked into it at least.

    twistedpencil
    Full Member

    Singletrack I salute you.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Cougar – could you also ask Mark if the whole magazine could be printed on potato starch? It might prove to be an important source of calories come March 29th.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    They’ve come back and proposed a bio-plastic solution made from potato starch

    is it edible…maybe with salt and vinegar on?

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Actual LOL at that, scotroutes, thank you.

    Simwit
    Full Member

    I was wondering about this the other day so It’s a thumbs up from me

    DezB
    Free Member

    Hate to break it to ya, but repackaging a few hundred mags every few months isn’t gonna save the planet 😉
    I get 3 other mags and they’re all in the plastic (like, really thin plastic) covers.

    National Geographic have gone for the eco option… “will save more than 2.5 million single-use plastic bags every month” they reckon.

    Strange about the supermarket etc, carrier bags, I always take a bag into Tesco Express, but never see anyone else doing it. The staff automatically reach for a bag when you step up to the till, always seem surprised when I say I’ve got a bag.

    ossify
    Full Member

    It’s probably recyclable PE anyway, with plastic bags. Any larger supermarket should accept that.

    Anyway as stated above: generally speaking plastic = worse for pollution and paper = worse for CO2 emissions and energy use.
    Apparently also now that capture systems are getting better, it’s better for the environment to incinerate plastic than to recycle it. Depends on whether your local rubbish gets burnt or goes to landfill I suppose.

    spooky_b329
    Full Member

    Embarrassingly, I cannot recall noticing much arriving in compostable plastic replacement. So if it does get changed, make it obvious to dispose in the food waste rather than the bin, otherwise it won’t make much difference

    orangespyderman
    Full Member

    Strange about the supermarket etc, carrier bags, I always take a bag into Tesco Express, but never see anyone else doing it. The staff automatically reach for a bag when you step up to the till, always seem surprised when I say I’ve got a bag.

    This – and it’s a real culture thing. there are countries where you get looked at like you’re something stuck on the underside of an already filthy shoe if you go shopping without bags, but in (too) many places they hand them out like they’re made of fresh air. This really needs to change.

    singletrackmag
    Free Member

    Pricing is in and the good news is it’s a modest increase on the plastic wrap so we are going to give it a go on the next issue.

    Dezb, how many subscribers do you think we have?

    We aren’t going to save the planet by using compostable wrap but we are potentially going to save 30k plastic wraps a year going into the bin. Considerably more than a few hundred every few months.

    Drac
    Full Member

    Strange about the supermarket etc, carrier bags, I always take a bag into Tesco Express, but never see anyone else doing it. The staff automatically reach for a bag when you step up to the till, always seem surprised when I say I’ve got a bag.

    Complete opposite here see loads take their own bags, never seen a sales assistant looked shocked. In fact the question is usually “Have you got your own bags”

    aide
    Full Member

    Good news, looking forward to seeing the change. Well done singletrack

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Hate to break it to ya, but repackaging a few hundred mags every few months isn’t gonna save the planet

    But it might make a difference if everyone did it. So why not make a start?

    Honestly, some people could have an argument in an empty room.

    bearnecessities
    Full Member

    is it edible…maybe with salt and vinegar on?

    Chipps Chippenmail

    grtdkad
    Full Member

    Great news STW. 👍🏻

    Ditto here on the shop bags too. Always take my own now. It is the new normal around these parts.

    GHill
    Full Member

    Single use plastic should be phased out by law

    It’s really not that simple. A bit like diesel cars – the reduction in “pollution” that they were supposed to provide has caused problems with other types of pollution that might actually be a bigger problem overall.

    I’ve not done the life cycle analysis myself, but when wrapping fruit and veg apparently you’d have to reuse a paper bag five times before it’s overall better for the environment than one single-use thin plastic bag. Hard to see that being practical.

    Responsible disposal of waste plastic seems like a better first step to me, but that requires the general public to change their attitudes.

    EDIT: Almost forgot to say – thanks for the speedy response to this ST.

    dirkpitt74
    Full Member

    Great work STW.

    soobalias
    Free Member

    Honestly, some people could have an argument in an empty room

    you are new here right?
    STW is that empty room where folk come to argue

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    Cougar

    But it might make a difference if everyone did it. So why not make a start?

    surely a pdf is the eco-warriors choice media? 😆

    eddiebaby
    Free Member

    Unformatted plaintext surely. You’ll be mining Bitcoin next you monster!

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    Minified for faster loading times! 😆

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 81 total)

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