The National Geographic Green Guide, a quarterly publication  to help consumers develop smarter, greener behavior to support a healthier planet, makes its debut March 4.   

Following National Geographic’s century-long mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the National Geographic Green Guide offers practical, in-depth information on products, companies and trends that will help consumers make better product and lifestyle decisions for their families and the environment.

 ”Written for general consumers, not for enviromaniacs, National Geographic Green Guide is chock-full of simple, useful ideas, broken down into achievable steps that make ‘going green’ a gradual and affordable process rather than an all-or-nothing plunge,” said Seth Bauer, editorial director of National Geographic Green Guide.

The Verso paper for National Geographic Green Guide carries the FSC Mixed Source Label, meaning the wood comes from Forest Stewardship Council-certified, well-managed forests, sources controlled in accordance with FSC standards, and/or recycled material. And the printer, Quad/Graphics, based in Sussex, Wisc., has long been known for its environmental stewardship and social responsibility, garnering a long list of local, state and national honors, including the 2007 Wisconsin Going Green Award, the Rainforest Alliance’s Sustainability Award and, most recently, the Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. EPA’s Smartway Transportation Partnership for having prevented the emissions of 11,878 tons of CO2 — the equivalent of taking 2,332 passenger cars off the road for a year.

The publication will be available for a $15 annual subscription or a $4.95 newsstand price at locations including Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods Markets and Hudson News. The digital subscription will be delivered via email for $12 annually and will include all the content from the print issue, including stories, design elements, charts, photographs and advertising.

 Some regular departments include Best Buy and What Happens To. Best Buy focuses on a single consumer good and dissects buying options. The inaugural issue looks at orange juice. It comes in cardboard, plastic, glass containers or concentrate. It can have vitamins or calcium added. It can be remade from concentrate or not. What’s the healthiest, greenest choice?

What Happens To follows a recyclable item through the disposal chain. The first issue looks at what happens to the hundreds of thousands of used plastic bags Wal-Mart gathers in its stores for recycling.

The premiere issue of National Geographic Green Guide also takes a look at carbon dioxide levels in the American home with a photo essay and coverage that includes tips to help every family embark on a “carbon diet” in 2008 by offering simple, realistic guidelines, advice and tools to reduce their carbon footprint.