45 years of A\J

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AJ at 45

Moments, Memories, & Impacts

We were founded by a young professor Bob Paehlke in 1971 at Trent University.

2 Huge argument arises in 1989 among deep and social ecologists in Letters to Editor.

3 In November 2015, we stopped updating “Crimes Against Ecology.” #StopHarper

4 Back in 1999 we started publishing Canada’s Environmental Education Guide. 

5 Our latest education guide includes 1076 programs at 116 colleges and universities.

6 Tzeporah Berman worked on our 1993 Ecofeminism issue – in part from jail. #Clayoquot 

We were founded by a young professor Bob Paehlke in 1971 at Trent University.

2 Huge argument arises in 1989 among deep and social ecologists in Letters to Editor.

3 In November 2015, we stopped updating “Crimes Against Ecology.” #StopHarper

4 Back in 1999 we started publishing Canada’s Environmental Education Guide. 

5 Our latest education guide includes 1076 programs at 116 colleges and universities.

6 Tzeporah Berman worked on our 1993 Ecofeminism issue – in part from jail. #Clayoquot 

7 A 2015 A\J blog on the superiority of Brazil’s Food Guide got nearly 150,000 unique hits.

8 Our 1979-80 Soft Energy Path trilogy rocked energy thought – it’s still relevant today.

9 Sarah Harmer rocks the cover in our first ever Music & Environment issue (2011).

10 In 2015, we try on our first Fashion issue. The skeptics were pleased at its depth. 

11 “Raw Seal & the Spirit of Plenty” (1987) is called “best piece ever” on traditional eco knowlege.

12 Long before #FreetheNipple, we ruffled feathers with nudity on our 2001 “Eros” cover.

13 More nudity in 2011 when David Suzuki graced our cover wearing just a fig leaf.

14 2010 New Energy goes artsy with Shakespearen love, Psychodrama and a new play. 

15 We launch our 2012 rebrand with Junk Raiders’ Gordie Wornoff on the cover.

16 Founder Bob Paehlke shows his solar superpower on the 2004 Energy cover.

17 Bob Paehlke passes editor torch to Bob Gibson and A\J moves to uWaterloo in 1985.

18 J.J. Kay & E. Schneider’s 1994 “Embracing Complexity” is still cutting edge and still a fave for students trying to grasp the complexity of ecosystems.

19 In 2014 we launch the 100 HEROES campaign – a legacy fund for A\J.

20 2001 Green Jobs, Good Work inventory sells out within two weeks of hitting newsstand.

21 A\J collaborates with The New Quartery to create two issues on art & environment. 

22 We launched our 2013 Night issue by creating Night\Shift festival in Kitchener.

23 We launched our 2011 Music issue by creating the Grand Porch Party in Waterloo.

24 In 2013, we misspelled Monsanto in the subhead of “Be Warned.” Oops. 

25 Cyclists rode on trees on the cover of our 40th thanks to surrealist Rob Gonsalves. 

26 In 2007, we profiled Justin Trudeau as an emerging environmental leader.

27 We published our only Green Humour issue in 1989! Help us be funny again. Please.

28 In 2014, we reignited our 1971 charity Alternatives Inc. and went fully independent. 

29 60+ scholars collaborate with A\J to create Canada’s Roadmap to Sustainability in 2015

30 “Defining a Sustainable Society” by John Robinson, et al. from 1990 is still a classic!

31 After a self imposed World Bank exile, Don Gamble/Swami Sivananda tells his story. 

32 Meg Leslie and Elizabeth May join our 2012 “In Defence of Science” panel in Ottawa. 

33 After 40+ years on uni campuses, we moved our office to Downtown Kitchener.

34 Naomi Klein dove into “Corporate VulnerabilityTM” (Monsanto spelled correctly in 2000). 

35 A printer’s error on our 1993 “The Landfill Stars Here” poster led to A\J’s first colour cover.

36 We called bullshit on the tarsands and swore on our cover for the first time in issue 38:5.

37 After Trudeau is elected, Tzeporah Berman advises that we don’t need to fear optimism.

38 A\J baby is featured on the 2002 Children’s Health cover. She’s now a paralegal.

39 A\J editorial manager covers COP21 in 2015; falls in love with Paris transit system.

40 In 2004, the new Starlight Social Club hosts our first benefit concert Alternatives Rocks! 

41 We were podcasting back in 2006 before it was cool – check out 37:4/Don Gamble! 

42 In May 2015, Dr. John O’Conner was fired without cause from the Nunee Health Board Society – 10 years after after he warned of possible links between tar sands and his patients’ poor health – and one month after he reflected on this in A\J’s Heath issue. 

43 Publisher emerita Marcia Ruby has worked on 125 issues of the magazine! 

44 A\J pushes food needle with 2003 Food Sovereignty & 2006 Food Security issues.

45 182 issues later, our founder Bob Paehlke (now professor emeritus) still sits on our board of directors and provides infinite wisdom to the A\J team.