Alexandria, VA – At Zebra, we’re excited to launch something new: Z-Green Pages. This monthly section gathers all our environmentally focused stories and columns in one easy-to-find place—from gardening tips to updates on local beautification efforts. It’s our way of celebrating the small, local choices that ripple into big global impacts.
The section debuts with our brand-new column, Z-Sustainability Scoop, carrying the tagline “Think local, act global.” The idea is simple: choices we make in Alexandria—planting pollinator-friendly gardens, switching light bulbs, reducing waste, or supporting eco-friendly businesses—truly can ripple out to make a worldwide difference.
Alongside Z-Sustainability Scoop, readers will also find Ray Greenstreet’s In the Dirt column, updates from the Alexandria Beautification Committee, and other green news from across the city. Our hope is for Z-Green Pages to become a hub for inspiration, information, and community pride. Have ideas? Email us at [email protected] or call 703-224-8911.
Naturally, whenever sustainability comes up, so does a big question: Why does Zebra still print a newspaper? Isn’t that wasteful?
The truth is, Zebra is far more sustainable than many realize. We print on newsprint made with 70%+ recycled fiber, which can be fully recycled again. Our soy-based inks are safer for the environment and easier to recycle than petroleum-based inks. The paper industry relies on sustainable forestry, where trees are replanted in continuous cycles, and our newsprint is part of that system.
A community paper also saves energy—you don’t need to print stories at home, wasting paper, cartridges, or electricity. And when it’s done, Zebra’s print edition goes right back to the earth. Our pages are 100% recyclable and biodegradable. Readers reuse them for lining shelves, wrapping gifts, crab feasts, packing boxes, cleaning windows, or as garden mulch and compost. A single copy may pass through many hands before being pulped into cereal boxes or egg cartons—or, if skipped in recycling, it naturally breaks down into the soil. It’s a circular system: born from the earth, used by the community, and returned to the earth.
And while digital media has its place, it isn’t footprint-free. Powering servers, data centers, and billions of devices consume massive amounts of electricity and water, every day. Each online story requires energy to be delivered repeatedly. A printed Zebra, once produced, requires no additional power to be read. Believe it or not, Zebra remains one of the greenest ways to share news.
But sustainability isn’t just about paper and ink—it’s also about what fills the pages. With Z-Green Pages, Zebra itself becomes a platform for sustainability, spotlighting people, projects, and ideas that build a greener Alexandria. Sharing knowledge, highlighting community efforts, and sparking action is part of our city’s commitment to live sustainably—and one of the most meaningful ways we can make a difference.
In short, we’re proud to be one of the most sustainable ways to keep our community connected. We’re renewable, recyclable, reusable, biodegradable, and local—right down to our plant-based ink.
Alexandria is a city full of people who care deeply about beauty, history, and the future of our planet. We hope this new section inspires you, informs you, and maybe even sparks ideas for your own local choices with global impact.
Because sustainability isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. And together, we can take steps, both small and large, toward a greener tomorrow.
