Imagine5 is the environmentally conscious magazine inspiring action through optimism

Driving social change requires us to collectively reconfigure our approaches to the climate catastrophe. This is the mission of Imagine5, a print and online magazine making the case for greener living with stories of real-world solutions and people rethinking everyday choices. What do we do when the conversation around climate feels gloomy and helpless? “These feelings can become powerful tools for change if we’re able to shift our mindset from overwhelm to agency,” says joint editor Anne-Marie Hoeve. Its stories are an invitation to reframe how we approach the world, connecting people across 45 countries since its launch in 2019.

The latest issue, Volume 4, has musician, DJ and activist Madame Gandhi as a cover star, and the feature highlights her unique sonic collaboration with nature. In sampling the sounds of the glaciers, Madame Gandhi imagines how we can work with, and not against, the natural world. Legendary environmentalist and primatologist Jane Goodall graced the cover in 2022, emphasising the power of collective action in her interview: “So many people have said to me, ‘It doesn’t make any difference what I do.’ It doesn’t if it’s just you. But it’s not just you.” It’s a message Imagine5 is eager to amplify across its storytelling.

With its broad range of topics, Imagine5 opens up conversations about our place in the world and the collective future we want to strive for. The magazine knows its audience has heard about the problems – it’s solutions that matter; to prevent and protect. That’s what drives social change. For the team, it’s about finding a balance between realism and positivity, acknowledging the scale, urgency and complexity of the climate crisis, while at the same time focusing on impactful next steps and the social change required to do things differently.

The biannual magazine’s visual director, Marta Julia Johansen, takes this marriage of culture and climate through to the creative level in every issue. Commissioned photographers and illustrators are based across the planet, covering a cross-section of interdisciplinary creatives, hand-picked to bring each story to life. The latest issue, for example, features collaborations with creatives from London, Las Vegas, Kenya, and Greenland. Marta is especially proud of the photographic essay In Search of Sila, a joint journal created by Inuk writer, poet, and climate activist Aka Niviâ na and Nuuk-based documentary photographer Oscar Scott Carl.

The magazine works with Copenhagen-based design agency E-Types. The subtle design language aims to allow the stories to take centre stage, with design supporting and conveying space. Stepping outside of stereotypical design surrounding sustainability, for E-types, maintaining the visual appeal is key.

Imagine5’s philosophy lies in meaningful action without alienating readers – it’s something you actually want to read. Targeting global sustainable travel, local mobility, waste, home energy and food, the publication turns challenges into opportunities for change. Ultimately, it engages a global audience without overwhelm or dread, to captivate and inspire instead.

The magazine is available in selected newsagents, or you can order it here.