dear vogue: green is the new black

Vogue's March issue garnered a lot of positive press for its cover choice: First Lady Michelle Obama. I was ecstatic to come home and find the issue waiting to be unwrapped.

Until I tried to pick it up.

Better known as "The Power Issue" of Vogue, every March means one - well, maybe two - things: a workout for your mailman and a workout for you.

I was disgusted to discover that the first article, Susie Boyt's "All the Things You Are," doesn't appear until page 256. Total issue size? 510 pages. The spine is one inch thick.

Given my background, I like to think I'm predisposed to favor advertising more than the average consumer. I also appreciate Vogue ads in particular because they're usually high fashion - whimsical, artsy and occasionally stunning - and great fodder for my collages.

But it's 2009, the era of hybrid-car-driving, reusable-shopping-bag-toting locavores. For the most part, I'm happy the rest of the world has decided to jump on the green bandwagon.

Which is why I'm disappointed that Vogue still marches on with its massive, tree cemetery of a Power Issue. The only powerful thing about it is the ad dollar signs the magazine must be seeing.

Looks like our ideas of green differ.