The Green Guide Tip NO.13 – I think I read somewhere…

Tips and tricks for making environmentally friendly swaps today!

With lighter evenings and seemingly a few more minutes in the day, it is the time of year to get stuck into a good book. Reading is widely known as a great for both our health and as a low carbon activity, but there are ways you can boost those credentials even more. Read on….

• Join a library – Wow, mind-blowing! Hear me out: Joining a local library is not only good for the community, but can open your reading horizons further than your comfort one and allow you to try new books. Free to join, why wouldn’t you want an entire collection of books on your doorstep to choose from? Didn’t enjoy? Just return with no expense wasted on your part. And with years of reuse, is a great sustainable system too.
• Second-hand – Everyone’s reading the most popular book of the moment and you want in. Well, chances are those who have already read it may have moved on and already donated it, so keep an eye out while charity shopping and there may be some literary gems waiting for you. Books, while having a lower environmental impact, do use a lot of resources in production, so donating and reusing is the most efficient use of these resources.
• Swapping – Alternatively, maybe someone you know has read a book you’re interested in… Maybe you can do a swap for your most recent read in return, and both enjoy books you are interested in with less new products involved.
• Book club – Really enjoy reading? Book clubs are having a comeback, and if organised well, can lower the impact of buying new books by reusing copies and redistributing. Also a great social activity to build into your lifestyle.

So there we go, did you flick to the end or read every word? The main message is reading is all-round a great activity, so if you can borrow, swap or reuse, you can both expand your mind and minimise your footprint – result!