Introducing The Planet on Sunday: Issue 1 (or is it 2?)

Community fridges, low-carbon travel and why even the most informed people would rather take the easy option on climate

Good morning! I’m Sarah Hartley and this is The Northern Eco’s new Sunday read from across the globe. As you’ve received this newsletter then either you subscribed, or someone forwarded it to you. If the latter, then you can click on this handy little button below.

Why The Planet on Sunday?

In 1996, an idealistic/overly ambitious/young journalist answered a small ad looking for a news editor to launch the UK’s first national newspaper seeking to do things differently. The idea was to be a mainstream newspaper concentrating on environmental issues and being proudly based outside of the London media bubble. 

One interview with its flamboyant editor Austin Michelson later resulted in me landing my first news editor job on a soon-to-launch national tabloid newspaper, The Planet on Sunday. It was a wild and bizarre time. The launch event involved the editor dressing up as cartoon character Dan Dare and entering the drinks party in a cloud of dry ice. Obviously it couldn’t last. 

Falling to earth with a bump

In today’s terminology it “failed fast”. The eccentric financial backer Clifford Hards pulled the plug on his £0.5M indulgence as the very first issue hit the newstands. After the lights went out in the Birmingham office (literally), staff were escorted from the premises and the title limped over to new owners Northcliffe (which publishes The Daily Mail) before disappearing.

Some things never change: Sewage in rivers from 1996

That was - until now! Being editor/owner/writer/secretary/driver means I can return the title to what I hoped it would be when I went to that interview all those years ago - a curated pick of global, environmental, hopeful journalism.

Where it's possible to ‘take action’ on an issue, I’ll also flag how to do that as I’ve a hunch that readers like you want to DO stuff as well as READ. I hope you enjoy this first issue below, I’d love to hear what you think.

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