A teacher at a Melbourne university rang the Green Left subscription hotline last week with a creative idea for helping his students, as well as Green Left Weekly.
Having recently discovered Green Left on the internet, he recognised a rich source of information for his course on social justice issues. Each week, he downloads articles from past issues of Green Left that take up the topic covered in that week's course content.
This teacher called the Green Left office to explain that, even though he could download the information free of charge, he wanted to recognise and support the work of the paper and has decided to encourage his students to contribute concretely to Green Left.
As well as wanting the students to have alternative information on the issues covered in his course, this teacher is also keen that the students keep up to date with all the issues of the day and is arranging a bulk purchase of GLW back issues so that they can read the full range of coverage, from Australia and overseas, within the pages of Australia's best progressive newspaper.
Once they see a number of issues of Green Left, he said, they will want to subscribe so they don't miss an issue.
There are many ways in which Green Left readers support the paper. In this case, one enthusiastic reader has found a way to get the important information contained in Green Left each week to many more readers and potential subscribers.
Perhaps there is a way in which you too can spread the word that there is an independent, anti-establishment alternative to the big business news monopoly and help Green Left reach a wider audience.
The best starting point, of course, is to make sure you receive and read Green Left yourself every week. By taking out a subscription, not only are you ensuring that you don't miss an issue, you are also contributing to the financial stability of this important alternative press. Green Left Weekly — it's your paper.