Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Cancelling the paper

Well, we did it. We cancelled our subscription to the NY Times. It's not that we don't read it, although there are certain sections that I will dearly miss. Tuesday's Science, Wednesday's Dining, Thursday's Style. Sigh. I guess I'll be getting my fix electronically now.

It's been a long time coming. I find it hard to justify getting the physical paper since most articles can be read online. As much as I love supporting them, it is expensive.

Now we'll actually have to make conversation at the table. Unfortunately, for the most part, any conversation around these parts gets drowned out by small people conversation that tends to revolve around butts, other body parts and Bakugan. Generally in that order.

What about you guys? Do you still subscribe to a newspaper?

29 comments:

Michelle Tressa said...

Hi, just happened to fall upon your blog. Don't worry, I didn't fall too hard. LOL We cancelled our paper long ago. You're right, it IS expensive and why waste all that paper when you can read it online. Anyways, love your blog. Hope you don't mind if I stop back by again soon!

Sandy said...

I had a subscription that I bought from a sweet kid who was trying to make money for college, but I csncelled it recently because I'm gone in the morning before it arrives, AND it's available online. There is so much paper being generated, just generally...it's frightening.

DiElla said...

All but the Sunday paper. The stack of paper that went into the recycling bin was amazing. What we get now we use to mulch our garden.

Julie said...

I bought a Kindle, and now have a Kindle subscription to the NY Times. (I didn't have one at all before.) I also use the Kindle a lot of articles I have to read for work/school and am a big fan! I try to do as much of my reading electronically as possible.

Cave-Woman said...

I haven't had a paper for years. My workplace subscribes to one paper, and the whole staff shares it in the breakroom over the course of the day.

It works well for us.

Then we use the extra paper to line animal cages, for craft projects, or just to recycle.

Unknown said...

No, we don't subscribe to the paper. The expense and waste issues win out, but not without some sadness. For me, nothing can replace the loveliness of the written word on paper.

motheralice said...

Ooh, Bakugan. I feel for you. My son is into it and sometimes I swear he's trying to frazzle me with them.

We've never subscribed, but when I'm in the mood ('bout 3 times a year) I'll buy one out of the box up the street. They get recycled or reused depending on the latest art projects.

Michael said...

The internet stopped that habit for me, because I could read a much bigger variety of "newspapers" - including international ones!

Even as a 14 year old paperboy in 1972, I was bothered by what I thought was a waste of trees - it just took some time for technology to fix that! ;-)

Julie said...

I live in Canada so for me the paper of choice is the Globe and Mail, which I buy once a week and take to my boyfriend's house for our weekend read and as he heats with wood it ends its life as fire starter. I completely agree with Elizabeth "nothing can replace the loveliness of the written word on paper."
And will our children never have the thrill of unearthing old treasures we saved and sitting for an hour or two reading details of lives lived in the past, on the crumpled newspaper we wrapped them in?

CitricSugar said...

I tend to read most of my news online or through select television sources but I did recently "break up" with Martha Stewart Living after being faithful for 13 years. The magazine isn't what it used to be and I had to finally admit that I was buying it out of habit rather than enjoyment or actual need . It seems silly and I don't miss it but whenever I see a new issue, I have to remind myself that the urge to pick it up is just residual consumer programming that should disappear over time.

Erika said...

We subscribe to our local paper (and some days it is just that - a lone piece of paper...), but we have many outlets for it - from cutting out articles for future use (I'm a teacher, so I'm always on the lookout for a great article to answer the "why do we have to learn this?" question), art projects, drop-cloths, wrapping fragile items at the many sales my DH sells antiques at, cage liners for a friend's birds, training items for our lovely dog (I'd rather her eat yesterday's paper than today's), clothing patterns, mulch/bed prep for new garden spaces, etc. Generally, the only thing that really goes in the recycle on a regular basis is the shiny ads; although, I think the biggest purpose it serves is to make DH feel like he not only contributes to local business (by buying the local paper, communicating with the community (letters to the editor), and by patronizing local businesses that advertise in the paper...
I would like to stop our subscription, but at $10/month, I really don't have a good argument financially, and I've already pulled too many sustainability "arguments" for DH's liking (let's just say he's not in favor of things that aren't very convenient...), but I think when we move, we'll opt for the non-daily delivery (I can't help but want to see the neighborhood kiddos EARN their money...)...

--Erika

Billie said...

No paper subscription but I subscribe to two craft magazines and my husband subscribes to Fitness RX. I used to subscribe to more but these two really cover what I would miss if I got none.

keenbeen said...

I would start subscribing to the paper (NY Times first choice) if we could afford it. I don't enjoy reading online, and can't take it with me on the bus/train, or elsewhere. People bring their local papers to work and leave them in the lunchroom, and I love going in and perusing. It's also a good way to socialize. For a while we were having people over on Sundays to peruse the NY Times and work on the crossword, it was open-invite. It was a great way to get together with friends on a non-committal casual basis, discuss current events in the news, enjoy each other's company and intellect. Part of a larger social goal to be connected to our friends, building relationships and community. I think it's worth the paper, but as far as money goes we are just toeing the line, and expecting another baby don't know how we're going to pay for that either.

Alyclepal said...

I subscribe to the LOCAL paper and will always do so. Supporting a locally owned paper instead of chains like the NY Times adds jobs to the community and supports the buy local initiative. The job of a local newspaper is to report news dealing with where you live and to keep the local goverment honest. I'll bet our local governing bodies would be THRILLED to have that oversight removed. In our town a corrupt sheriff is being investigated not only by the SBI but also the FBI...because of the efforts of the Local Paper. Plus I never have to buy mulch or papers to make patterns on or wipe my windows clean with.

Anonymous said...

Just discovered your blog. Love it! I'll be adding it to my "read" list. I stopped taking a paper over a year ago. I'm now battling with our paperboys who insist we need the free local papers! I don't miss them - everything I need is on the BBC website, Times Online (London), or Huffington Post.

Robj98168 said...

I stopped subsrcibing to the Seattle Times years ago- not for any green reason but the stupif paper delivery person was unable to not deliver to my front porch and usually left the paper in a rin puddle. Now I read my funnies online. And the P-I seems to bw doing fine in its online only version. There are enough papers coming for free to keep up my worm bin, unwanted mid week ad types.

Anonymous said...

Can't get a daily paper delivered here in the boonies. Haven't had one for years.
EJ

Anonymous said...

But before we go assume that the internets are great for the environment without cost:
"The monster footprint of digital technology"
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/06/embodied-energy-of-digital-technology.html

"The Internet's Carbon Footprint - Server Farms vs Your Desktop PC"
http://www.nowpublic.com/technology/internets-carbon-footprint-server-farms-vs-your-desktop-pc
EJ

Anna Marie said...

I don't have a subscription, but my college provides free copies of the local newspaper. After reading them, I take them home to use as weed block.

I've actaully had toughts about, um, "liberating" other's newspapers to use in my garden, but I haven't done it yet....

Sparkless said...

Unfortunately our local paper is not online so I'd have to read it at the library which would be next to impossible since the library hours were cut and I work when it's open.
I like getting the newspaper mostly because of all the uses for it after we read it. We use it to wrap things, to keep things clean, for crafts, in the graden to keep weeds down.
I wonder what I'd use instead if we cancelled the newspaper.

Anonymous said...

We still subscribe to a newspaper, or more accurately my husband does. He reads it all over the house, and in situations where you wouldn't want electronics.

What bothers me more are all the free local papers that just get dropped off without our asking. There's at least as much or more paper in those, and they're mostly advertising.

Stacy said...

No...my mom subscribes...I read it the next day...and then recycle it for her.

Anonymous said...

With all the cuts we've made in our budget in the past 2 years(no restaurant meals, no movies, no DVDs, no clothes shopping, no gifts, no new stove even though the old one is dying by inches - make that fee), no sofa - the old one bit the dust, no vacations, etc., giving up the NYTimes would be just too painful. It's about our only entertainment except for TV. I would read it on line but my husband can't seem to manage it. And we would have to take turns. It's been our morning ritual to share the paper over coffee and sometimes breakfast for about 30 years. Nope, just can't do it.

Mary Kay said...

I only get the Sunday paper. Need my coupons and the Crossword!

*jean* said...

interesting topic. we gave up our paper and found that we did talk to each other more! we also don't have to try and fit two weeks of daily paper into a paper bag (which we have run out of because we pack our own bags at the store) for the bi-weekly recycling run!

we also did not like the right wing bend our local newspaper was taking.....sad but true, in the world of monopoly newspaper conglomerations....our paper (mpls. star & tribune) was purchased by the murdoch empire and was never the same....

ooo and the butt thing?? i'm guessing you have some boys around, huh...

:o)

Anonymous said...

We did the same thing a few months ago. I just buy the Sunday paper at the store. Much cheaper.

Robj98168 said...

PS I just gotta say thank god for my laptap and the wifi in the house- I can still sit on the throne and enjoy the sports!

Rosa said...

I never have subscribed - for years I worked at the paper and got it for free, at my desk.

I *do* "subscribe" to the websites of several news sites I read, by sending them $5/mo on Paypal. I would do the same thing for our local paper if they had a not-ridiculously-priced option and someone to moderate their hideous comment sections.

We also have a paper box on the corner, so if the front page is alluring enough or I need newspaper for a project, I can go spend some quarters on the single paper i want.

Nina said...

I subscribe to TIME magazine and am letting my subscription end in the next year.... I'm really sad about it, but it just doesn't make sense to continue. I read the articles online. I wish they had an option where I pay maybe $0.50 to read an article or something so I could continue to support them, but I'm sure that won't happen any time soon.