I don't know if April is the cruelest month, but it's definitely the most eco-friendly.

If you've glanced at a magazine rack recently, you know what I mean. Nearly every magazine features a green theme -- generally including a special section devoted to articles on the environment, tips on how to live greener, and activist profiles. The timing, I assume, is meant to dovetail with an increasingly star-studded Earth Day [0].

Here's just a tiny sample of what's on the stands:

Time [1] assembled a Global Warming [1] Survival Guide, with a list of 51 things [2] we can do to save the planet, and articles on the front lines of climate change [3] and ways to solve [4] the global warming crisis. [5]

Vanity Fair [6] released its somewhat controversial [6] Second Annual Green Issue, with green idol Leonardo DiCaprio [7]on the cover and a table of contents that includes portraits of 88 leading green celebrities and activists, articles on how the Amazon is turning into a toxic-waste site [8], the greenest sportscars, upcoming eco-flicks [9], global warming skeptics [10], and exclusive pictures of Knut [11], the polar bear cub.

Elle [12] has a Green Is Chic [13] feature section with a Green Primer (hemp is chic) and an Eco-Fashion Scrapbook (organic [13] cotton is chic too.)

And this is just the tip of perhaps the only iceberg on the planet that isn't melting away.

Rationally, I know I should be thrilled that eco-issues are now the latest rage. The coverage is proof-positive that environmental issues have touched a nerve with the general public. The earth -- and how we can work to save it -- is clearly a priority. And the range of magazines to go green means that there's a relevant niche for everyone, even for people like me who prefer fluffy features on make-up to serious articles on politics and big business.

But the truth is (and I hate to admit this), I'm somewhat torn to see the frenzy around all things green. Part of me -- the cynical, nail-biting neurotic within -- can't help but worry that green might just be the flavor du jour. I'd hate to see important environmental issues capture the public's attention for, oh say, 15 minutes and then become yesterday's news.

To put it in media-speak, I hope that green topics have "legs" (as in, they'll run for a long time) so that they'll continue to get high-profile coverage.

Maybe I'm being unnecessarily negative. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the proliferation of green-themed 'zines. Are you pleased to see the mainstream magazines focus on environmental issues in this way -- or do you advocate a different approach?