Think the Earth

Each issue of "NORAH," a magazine made from surplus paper, comes in 12 different patterns. The photos look quite different depending on texture of the paper.
Photo by Naoko Hirasawa

People gather to buy fresh vegetables and ethical, ecological products at the "Aoyama Farmers' Market" held every weekend at the United Nations University located in Aoyama, Tokyo. And this farmers' market began publishing "NORAH" to investigate the role of food and agriculture in urban life, and to deepen our understanding from many different points of view. The second issues was just published this September.

What makes this magazine so special is not only the fact that it is being published by a farmers' market, but also the paper used. The magazine uses paper leftover at printing companies or dead paper stock. That is why several types of paper are used to create each magazine. The inside pages are printed on 4 types of paper (used to create 2 different combinations), and there are 6 types of covers. In total, 12 types of "NORAH" are available, each with photos that have a unique impression and texture, so find your favorite and enjoy magazines in a whole new way.

The total global consumption of paper (including card boards) in 2011 was 400 million tons. This has remained roughly the same since 2007. Yet annually, 13 million hectares of trees are cut down (equivalent to about 1/3 of Japan's total land area; data from 2000 to 2010). This idea proposed by "NORAH" may not have a big impact in comparison to these daunting figures. But if more and more consumers accept this concept and if more people begin to use paper, which was disposed of as trash until now, we may be able to decrease our paper consumption, and as a result decrease the number of trees that are cut down. I hope that "NORAH" will motivate people to get involved and help start a movement in the right direction.