According to publisher Anthea Campbell, the magazine is all about finding balance while living in harmony with the environment. "We are committed to giving well-balanced articles and content that is relevant, informative and accessible to all," Campbell says.

The idea for the magazine crystallised when Campbell was on a trip to Bali in 2018. She says that she was struck by the mounds of rubbish she saw when travelling off the beaten track away from the tourist spots.

"I realised that something had to be done. Unless we start doing something to raise the awareness of how our lives are impacting the environment, sights like what I saw in Bali are just going to become more common," says Campbell.

"That is when I had the idea of launching a magazine that would highlight the need for change, while being educational and useful to consumers. I wanted to encourage that change and help people to break bad habits in their everyday life and bring back balance," says Campbell.

Campbell highlights that there is currently no publication in South Africa that is dedicated to an eco-friendly lifestyle — other magazines have features on the subject from time-to-time, but with environmental issues becoming a global crisis, she believes there is a need for a magazine that is completely dedicated to the subject.

According to Campbell, the foundation of the magazine lies in the word 'balance'. It aims to encourage and inspire its readers to make better choices and changes that will have a positive impact on both their lives as well as the environment.

"Our aim is to feature informative, inspiring yet honest articles. Products featured are generally environmentally friendly, green, biodegradeable or sustainably sourced," says Campbell. "We also focus on items that are natural, organic and hand-made, as well as healthy lifestyles and wellness, as these are all closely tied to sound environmental practices."

The feature's editor Kerry-Ann Scrase says that the magazine is not aimed to make readers feel bad or guilty, nor does it want to lecture or bully people. "It is about inspiring change through 'light-bulb moments', practical tips and suggestions," says Scrase.

"It is unrealistic to think that everyone can suddenly stop using single-use plastics or only buy products in biodegradable packaging," adds Scrase. "It is about small changes that are realistic and sustainable."

"If each of our readers changes only one or two things like proactively recycling, not using straws or growing their own vegetables, it combines to make a significant difference," adds Scrase.

The magazine includes topics like food, travel, fashion and beauty, with regular features from experts — including gardening guru Melanie Walker and food and nutritionist blogger, Faith Mandebvu.

The first issue of EcoBalance Lifestyle was published in December. There will be six issues per year, with the next one due in March. In line with the ethos of publication, it was decided to publish online with the option to print on demand.

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