Green publishing in Germany: A passing trend or a true transition?

摘要

Greening the German book industry is a large-scale task. This article, based in part on the results of a one-day conference titled "Bio im Bücherregal?" (Engl. translation: "Eco-friendly products on the bookshelf?") that was held in Mainz in January 2013, considers different perspectives on green publishing in Germany and presents the status quo as well as an outlook. After a brief historical and theoretical overview on the media and the environmental movement, the article presents current developments such as the initiative "Nachhaltig Publizieren" ("Green Publishing"). Initiated in 2011 by the publisher Oekom, the project has become a catalyst for the green publishing movement in Germany. In addition, this contribution introduces publishers and imprints, in particular of children's books, that strive to fulfill the highest possible criteria for green publishing in certain project areas. Finally, the close connection between green publishing and green content is discussed.