In the News
Green Guide NH
This local publisher is changing the world, one book at a time
July 24, 2009
Just over the border in Vermont is a company that really lives up to its name. Chelsea Green, based in White River Junction, has been publishing books on sustainable living for 25 years, and it’s a company that practices what it preaches: It’s taken steps to reduce natural resource and energy use by printing most of its books on chlorine-free recycled paper with soy-based inks.
The company was founded in 1984 by Margo and Ian Baldwin, who had moved to Vermont from New York City. According to Taylor Haynes, the company’s marketing coordinator, the Baldwins wanted to “work together on something creative and also make a living, as good jobs were not so easy to find.” The Baldwins named the company after the Vermont town they lived in, Chelsea, which was known as “Chelsea Green” because it had two greens instead of one, Haynes says.
One of the first books Chelsea Green published was “The Man Who Planted Trees,” an ecological fable. Since then, the company has published more than 400 titles, including the New York Times bestsellers “The End of America,” by Naomi Wolf, and “Obama’s Challenge: America’s Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency,” by Robert Kuttner.
The company has evolved since its early days: What was once a startup now employs 21 people and is seen as the preeminent publisher of books on sustainable living. Its book topics run the gamut, including organic gardening and local agricultural movements, natural science and ecology, green building and renewable energy and political activism and social commentary.
Publishers Weekly
June 29, 2009
Chelsea Green Sets Up Wish List for Librarians
“In advance of next week’s ALA convention, Chelsea Green went live today with an online gift registry at chelseagreen.com/company/libreg to enable libraries to let their patrons know which titles from the White River Junction, Vt.-based press it would like.”
Sentient Times
June 18, 2009
Editors Note Small-Scale Grain Raising, Second Edition, The Winter Harvest Handbook, and Living Above the Store
“Choosing locally grown organic food is a sustainable living trend that’s taken hold throughout North America. Celebrated farming expert Eliot Coleman, a passionate advocate for the revival of small-scale sustainable farming, helped start this movement with The New Organic Grower published 20 years ago.”
Publishers Weekly
June 10, 2009
Toward a Greener Future
“Most industry members expected that when the “Environmental Trends and Climate Impacts: Findings from the U.S. Book Industry” survey was released, it would show that, of all the activities connected with book publishing, the industry's use of paper has the biggest impact on the environment. They just didn't know how large that impact would be.”
Publishers Weekly
June 10, 2009
Sold—and Not Even to the Highest Bidder
“Watching the AMS-PGW debacle unfold makes me wonder why so many independent publishers are willing to be pawns in the increasingly lose-lose game of book distribution. Being auctioned off in a bankruptcy proceeding does not equal independence. Or handing over your most important business functions—sales, customer relations, fulfillment, and the tracking and collecting of your receivables—to a third party over which you have absolutely no control. Is this a smart way of doing business? What's independent about being part of a $100- or $300-million-a-year sales operation?”
Publishers Weekly
June 10, 2009
Zero-Waste Publishing
“Rachel Donadio's recent essay in the New York Times Book Review, "Saving the Planet, One Book at a Time," misses the point. Donadio asks how much the publishing industry is willing to pay to be virtuous. The question really should be: How much is the publishing industry willing to lose by continuing in its wasteful ways?”
Publishers Weekly
June 10, 2009
The Audacity of Hype
“On August 15, tiny but politically mighty Chelsea Green Publishing announced it will crash Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency. Margo Baldwin, publisher of the Vermont-based house, said her objective was to get the pro-Obama book by journalist Robert Kuttner out in time for this week's Democratic convention. To that end, Chelsea Green is producing 2,000 advance copies; because the convention expects 15,000 attendees, the publisher planned to give the rest of them coupons redeemable for a $13.95 pre-pub POD edition from Amazon's Book Surge.”
IBPA Independent (formerly PMA)
June 10, 2009
Partnership Publishing: A New Model for Independents
“Last fall we managed to do the impossible (for a small independent publisher, that is): publish a book that became an almost instant national bestseller and has sold over 175,000 copies in six months’ time. The book is Don’t Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate–The Essential Guide for Progressives, by George Lakoff, University of California professor of cognitive science and linguistics, founding senior fellow of the Rockridge Institute, author of Moral Politics and other books, and, according to Howard Dean, "one of the most influential political thinkers of the progressive movement."”
Book Business Magazine
June 10, 2009
A Green Celebration
“Green was the fashionable color on Monday evening, March 10, as more than 200 publishing industry executives gathered for a unique celebration in the Marquis Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in New York’s Times Square, during the Publishing Business Conference & Expo. It wasn’t an early St. Patty’s Day celebration either, but a celebration honoring the recipients of the 2nd Annual SustainPrint Leadership Awards, recognizing achievements and leadership in “green” publishing.”
Vermont.commons Website
May 21, 2009
THE DAILY MAUL: TOP 50 LIST! Congratulations to Chelsea Green Publisher Margo Baldwin! Press release on their site for Margo's award. Posted by Rob Williams. “Margo Baldwin, President and Publisher of Chelsea Green Publishing, has been named one of the “50 Top Women in Book Publishing” by Book Business Magazine. In the first year of this annual award, Book Business appreciates those industry leaders who affect publishing in its entirety, from what—and how—consumers read to the future of the industry itself.”
Book Business Magazine
May 18, 2009
Cover Story : 50 Top Women in Book Publishing
“From multimillion-dollar acquisitions to multimillion-dollar best-sellers, powerful women stand at every pivotal, decision-making point in the book publishing process. Book Business’ first annual “50 Top Women in Book Publishing” feature recognizes and honors some of these industry leaders who affect and transform how publishing companies do business, and what—and how—consumers read.”
Seven Days
May 7, 2009
Way To Go, VBSR
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Huffington Post
May 7, 2009
Weekly Pulse: Swine Flu Postgame Show Healthcare NewsLadder
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Huffington Post
May 5, 2009
Electromagnetic Pollution: Are Cell Phones The Next Battle? link to post on Chelsea Green Website
Flashlight Worthy
April 8, 2009
Surviving Tough Times in '09: Twelve Books That Will Help
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Edible Santa Fe - Heritage Radio Network
April 8, 2009
Interview with Michael Weaver
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Second Life
April 2, 2009
Interview with Margo Baldwin
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Publishers Weekly
March 31, 2009
Sustaining for Sustenance: 2009 Gardening Books Gardening gets back to its green roots
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Publishers Weekly
March 30, 2009
To Tweet or Not to Tweet?
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Blog
February 19, 2009
Interesting Twitter Strategy from Chelsea Green Publishers about Twitter contest
Eco-libris Blog
February 18, 2009
A green publisher beats the recession!
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GalleyCat
February 9, 2009
Chelsea Green Publishing Reports Record Sales During Recession
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Conversational Reading
February 9, 2009
How to Publish in a Recession: Chelsea Green's Margo Baldwin
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Philly.com
February 4, 2009
Going green by the book by Jeff Schnaufer
Make Magazine
February 4, 2009
Growing shiitakes pick up of blog from Chelsea Green Website by Luke Iseman
Culture Change
January 26, 2009
Secession: Why I Support A Second Vermont Republic by Ian Baldwin
Barre Times Argus
January 18, 2009
Anti-Bush entrepreneurs retool products for new times
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Shelf Awareness
January 14, 2009
Link to article from website "Surviving Tough Times in '09: Twelve Books That Will Help"
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Blog
January 7, 2009
Eco-Books and Magazines For Word and Planet Lovers
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MountainKeepers Blog
January 6, 2009
Chelsea Green
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Barre Times Argus
January 5, 2009
Between the Lines What's up for Vermont book lovers
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Book Business Magazine
December 22, 2008
Working Toward the Point of No Returns: Chelsea Green Publisher and President Margo Baldwin on the company's Green Partners program.
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TomDispatch
December 18, 2008
Tomgram: The Time of the Book
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Valley News
December 5, 2008
Tips for Tough Times
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Barre Times Argus
November 3, 2008
Between the Lines What's up for Vermont book lovers "Chelsea Green Publishing must know something we don't. The White River Junction company says it has a full-page ad scheduled to run in The New York Times on the assumption that Barack Obama will win Tuesday's election. The ad promotes Robert Kuttner's book laying out the tests that President Obama will face. It's called ""Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transforma-tive Presidency."" Chelsea Green apparently isn't the only one reading the tea leaves: The company says that Kuttner is being interviewed in the New Yorker's post-election Barack Obama issue.
Book Survival
October 29, 2008
Stop the whining!
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Amazon
October 21, 2008
Amazon Interview: Listen to Margo Baldwin on Politics and Publishing
Publishers Weekly
September 15, 2008
Progressive Presses March Forward
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Future Perfect Publishing
August 29, 2008
Interview with Margo
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Valley News
August 25, 2008
Online Book Deal Stirs Controversy
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Los Angeles Times - Emerald City Blog
August 21, 2008
When it comes to Barack Obama book, booksellers are not 'luddite idiots'
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Blog
August 21, 2008
A Post in Which I Will Try Not to Use Any Profanity
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Publishers Weekly
August 20, 2008
Independent Booksellers 'Disheartened' with Chelsea Green
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Huffington Post
August 20, 2008
A Tale of Two Obama Books: Why Do Progressives Still Not Get It?
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Publishers Weekly
August 20, 2008
Chelsea Green Makes Obama Book Available Early Exclusively on Amazon
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Publishers Weekly
August 11, 2008
Gauging the Value Of Free Freight
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Future Perfect Publishing
August 11, 2008
An Interview with Twelveís Jonathan Karp
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GoGreenLife.com
July 1, 2008
Ready to Write that Green Book?
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Blog
July 1, 2008
The Emperor Changes His Clothes
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Blog
July 1, 2008
Site Supporter
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Treehugger
June 26, 2008
Save Energy the Shagadelic Way: How to Insulate Your Refrigerator
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Blog
June 24, 2008
Chelsea Green Looking For Green Guide Authors
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Blog
June 19, 2008
NEW BOOK CLUB
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Philadelphia Daily News
June 16, 2008
Left wants to fight the right with book club
New York Times
June 16, 2008
A Book Club Courts Liberals
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Eco-Chick
June 16, 2008
Eco-writers: Win a Chelsea Green Publishing Contract
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Earth Surf
June 16, 2008
Calling all authors
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Ready to Write That Green Book?
June 13, 2008
Ready to Write That Green Book?
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The Environmental Blog
June 10, 2008
Wanna be a Green Author?
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Sundance Channel - The Green
June 9, 2008
Chelsea Green Author Test
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Green-Trust.Org
June 9, 2008
Chelsea Green Looking for Authors
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Publishers Weekly
May 22, 2008 Publishers Working to Replace Print Catalogues
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The IdeaLogical.company
May 13, 2008
The Future of Books for Publishers and Booksellers
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Bloomberg.com
May 6, 2008
As Books Fill Dumps, Publishers Target 'Insane' Return Policy
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Book Business Magazine
April 28, 2008
A 'Green' Celebration
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Eco-libris Blog
April 25, 2008
Getting to Scale: Growing your business without selling out
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Publishers Weekly
February 26, 2008
Indies Experiments Pay Off
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Publishers Weekly
February 26, 2008
How Does Our Gardening Grow?
“Coming in June from Chelsea Green distribution client Green Publishing is Charles Dowding's Salad Leaves for All Seasons: Organic Growing from Pot to Plot.”
frugalmarketing.com
January 16, 2008
Positive Power Spotlight: Chelsea Green Publishing
“Today, I had a reason to get very angry with a large New York publisher–and it got me thinking about how lucky I was to work with Chelsea Green for my fifth book, Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World.”
Green Press Initiative
September 13, 2007
Chelsea Green--Reducing Returns on the Green Partnership Program.
“In addition to using environmentally responsible papers, book publishers can strive to reduce returns, which would make a big impact on waste reduction. One company that has already developed an extensive ‘no returns’ option is Chelsea Green.”
The Victrolist Blog
July 22, 2007
Chelsea Green Publishing's Green Publishing
“I have grown used to seeing statements about recycled paper or acid-free paper in various places on books and websites, but this is the first time I've seen something so thorough and encouraging.”
Booktrix blog
July 20, 2007
Book Business and Environmental Economics: Belated Post #2
“Remember that 30% of all new books are printed, shipped to a warehouse, then shipped to a store, or to a wholesaler, and then returned to the publisher or distributor warehouse and finally shipped out again to a remainder wholesaler or retailer, or shipped to a recycler or landfill.”
Publishers Weekly
July 16, 2007
Publishers Getting Serious About the Environment
“Eighteen major independent booksellers have signed on to the Chelsea Green Partnership Program, introduced at BookExpo America this year, reports company president Margo Baldwin, and she hopes to interest the chains in the program as well.”
Orion Magazine
July 1, 2007
Bye, Bye, Miss American Empire
“‘The left-right thing has got to go,’ declares Ian Baldwin, cofounder of Chelsea Green Publishing and publisher of Vermont Commons. ‘We’re decentralists and we are up against a monster.’”
Reading Under the Covers blog
June 26, 2007
BEA: The End
“I was supposed to meet a workshop alum at the Sounds True booth at 4, then an author I'd been corresponding with at the Chelsea Green booth at 5, where I was also meeting up again with Digby Diehl.”
American Booksellers Association
Bookselling This Week
June 20, 2007
Seeing Green: Publishers Strive to Become Eco-Friendly
“The new Chelsea Green Partner Program, unveiled at BookExpo America, features a carbon-neutral shipping model and other incentives for participating booksellers who, among other requirements, must agree to purchase Chelsea Green books on a nonreturnable basis.”
Reading Under the Covers blog
June 16, 2007
BEA Party Girl: Chelsea Green
“After ducking out of the Editors Buzz Forum, I met up with Renaissance man Digby Diehl (author, reviewer, TV correspondent, former head of Harry N. Abrams, journalist, etc.), who was to be my date for the Chelsea Green party honoring Naomi Wolf, author of THE END OF AMERICA: Letters to a Young Patriot (coming out in August).”
Treehugger
June 4, 2007
Green Publishers: Turning Over a New Leaf
“Boasting over 400 titles, Chelsea Green includes high profile political titles like Don’t Think of an Elephant, inspiring fables like The Man Who Planted Trees, and important how-to guides like The Strawbale House on its list.”
Shelf Awareness
May 30, 2007
Green Books Have Growing Market
“From an appearance on NBC Nightly News by President Bill Clinton, who shared his personal endeavors for reducing energy consumption, to the proposed development of an environmentally conscious town in Florida, recent media coverage has led to increased consumer awareness of environmental topics. ”
Shelf Awareness
May 30, 2007
BEA NYC: LongPen, Birthdays, Backlist, Green Publishing
“Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, Vt., is launching what could be the next big industry trend: an initiative to begin "greening" the book business. ”
Knitting on the Sunnyside blog
May 30, 2007
Sorry, no rabbit pics!
“I am totally in love with Permaculture and Edible Forest Gardens, two of the best reasons to buy those 20 acres before we can afford to build on them. But in the meantime, despite not having an inch of land to grow on, Eric Toensmeier's book, Perennial Vegetables makes it easy to dream, and if you do have a plot of land, it's an easy first step in the right direction.”
Vermont Daily Briefing Website
May 17, 2007
Vermont Guardian Pulls Down the Shutters; Assorted Green Mountain Evil-Doers Breath Unexpected Sigh of Relief
“Actually, in this case, Publisher Shay Totten is moving on to greener pastures. Substantially greener: he’ll be the new editorial director at Chelsea Green Publishing. ”
Vermont Commons
May 17, 2007
Vermont Guardian Folds; Shay Totten to go to Chelsea Green
“Chelsea Green is fortunate to pick up Shay as their new Editor in Chief, but Vermont's journalism landscape will be the poorer for VG's demise.”
Vermont Guardian
May 16, 2007
Vermont Guardian to cease publication
“WINOOSKI — The Vermont Guardian, which earlier this year became the state’s only exclusively online newspaper, will cease publication this month.”
Vermont Guardian
May 15, 2007
Chelsea Green Publishing hires new editor, plans online content expansion
“The shift in title represents Chelsea Green’s desire to provide new ways for authors and readers to connect through emerging and existing multimedia tools such as online video and pod casts, as well as expanded online content through the company’s existing website and blog, said Chelsea Green’s Publisher Margo Baldwin.”
MamaStories blog
May 10, 2007
Reading Up and Chelsea Green Publishing
“Their motto is ‘The politics and practice of sustainable living,’ and their titles reflect the broad range that it brings to mind: from the reflective to the political to the practical.”
Barre Times Argus
April 18, 2007
Chelsea Green's how-to manuals for Planet Earth
“From its humble beginnings in 1984 as a small town cottage industry, the house has established itself as the pre-eminent publisher of books on sustainable living.”
