Magazines consume an unsustainable amount of virgin forest fiber. U.S. magazine production alone uses 30 million trees a year. Most magazines are still printed on paper made exclusively from virgin forest fibers even though 10% post consumer waste magazine paper is available. Consumption of dwindling forest resources could be significantly reduced if publishers would make serious efforts to procure higher levels of recycled content paper.

Paper purchasing for magazines is heavily influenced by one mega-paper buyer - the Time Inc. division of Time Warner, the world's largest magazine paper purchaser. Time, which publishes signatures titles such as Time, People and Sports Illustrated, commands 24% of all magazine ad revenues and purchases 600,000 tons of paper per year from more than 50 different mills.

In April 1994, Time announced plans to switch some of its magazines to recycled content paper. In a note to readers, the company's chief paper buyer explained that "because we are such a large buyer, we were able to help create a significant supply by asking for it." However by December 1995, the company dropped purchases of recycled content paper for its magazines, due to increased costs for recycled stock. We are concerned that in past 12 years there is no evidence of a concerted effort to renew its earlier commitment to secure recycled content paper for its publications.

Time has taken some positive steps on environmentally preferable paper issues. It requires suppliers to participate in a recognized forest certification program, promotes increased curbside recycling of magazines, and scores its suppliers on environmental performance. However, it has firmly resisted setting recycled content goals for its publications. As You Sow has engaged Time to encourage it to set specific levels of post consumer fiber in some of its magazines.

We have confirmed that at least one Time supplier can provide 10 percent post consumer content paper at little to no additional cost or loss of strength. Using 60,000 tons of recycled paper every year would help Time Warner save at least 500,000 trees.

In response to our requests Time management has agreed to issue its first sustainability report early in 2006, and Time Warner management agreed publish a Corporate Social Responsibility report also in 2006.

In 2006, we will begin to engage some of Time's publicly owned competitors such as Newsweek (Washington Post Co.) and Business Week (McGraw Hill Cos.).