DK puts focus on 'green' titles for spring

Dorling Kindersley will put a focus on sustainability in its spring list next year, revealing titles to encourage the public to "make more sustainable choices". 

Among the titles publishing next year is Is It Really Green? by Georgina Wilson-Powell, creator of leading online sustainable lifestyle magazine pebble, which will appear in January 2021. In the book, Wilson-Powell "breaks down the complexity of everyday eco dilemmas revealing how small simple changes to your everyday routine can make a big difference to the planet". She said: “pebble has seen its readership reach 1.2m this year as more and more of us have re-examined the way we live. But with all the ‘green’ information out there it’s clear people still struggle with which choices are truly sustainable. Is It Really Green? aims to tackle that head on and I hope people will find it truly useful.” 

Dawn Henderson, managing editor at DK Life Global, who commissioned Is It Really Green? explained how in creating the book, the team questioned the eco-credentials of the decisions they made. “We looked at each physical component of the book and examined where it came from and what it was made of, choosing the greenest possible options, and we found ways to limit the impact of transportation by printing locally for each territory wherever possible. Our learnings have also influenced the way we do some things for all our publishing.”

Publishing in April 2021 is The Green Grocer by Richard Walker, m.d. of Iceland Foods, which was bought by Stephanie Milner from Gordon Wise at Curtis Brown. Walker has championed the ethical and eco business practices of the frozen food chain, most recently revealing the companies plastic footprint with 100% transparency and calling for other UK supermarkets to join him. In The Green Grocer he offers "clear-sighted advice about how any business can make genuine progress on sustainable initiatives while being realistic about profit margins", and fulfilling its obligations to customers and employees. 

Stephanie Milner, senior acquisitions editor, said: "Richard is an ambitious business leader who is driven both by creating a profitable business with a happy workforce but also one that creates an environment that will support, not endanger, the planet in years to come. His bravery and the forthright advice contained within this book will pave the way for others to challenge the status quo in their own workplaces to adopt and deliver sustainable green initiatives." 

Other titles publishing in spring 2021 with a strong eco-philosophy are Mend It, Wear It, Love It by blogger and influencer Zoe Edwards, a guide encouraging the public to "break with fast fashion" and learn how to make their clothes last longer, and Royal Horticultural Society-backed title How To Garden The Low Carbon Way by gardener and journalist Sally Nex. Both titles were commissioned by Ruth O’Rourke, managing editor at DK Life. 

Addressing the press' focus, publishing director Katie Cowan said: “Never before have we been so aware of how our impact on the planet also has a direct affect on our own lives and it seems we are now, more than ever, ready to make changes. The titles we publish next spring are full of really practical, clear and—in many cases—easy, things that we can all do, whether in our home lives or at work, to make a positive difference. Sustainability is core to our publishing across the whole division and I’m thrilled to bring all of these titles to market.”