Today we're celebrating the 41st anniversary of Earth Day. We thought how we could contribute to this green celebration and decided to continue a tradition we started last year and present you with a list of 41 things you can do to green up your reading, hoping it would be of assistance to all the eco-conscious readers out there. We hope you will find this list useful and that you will get back to it whenever you look for ideas on how to make your reading more eco-friendly. So here we go:
41 Ways to Green Your Reading
1. Join your local library
2. Exchange books with friends
3. Buy from local independent bookstores (if you can't walk or bike there, purchase online)
4. Download audiobooks
5. Check out BookMooch for friendly book swapping.
6. Buy books that are printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper
7. Try BookSwim, the Netflix-style online book rental service
8. Support book publishers and authors who partner with Eco-libris
9. Read books online by daily email and RSS feed at DailyLit
10. If you're an avid reader,reading ebooks on your e-reader is probably a greener option for you. Don't forget to check out ebook lending services such as eBookFling or BookLending.
11. Join a book club and share your green insights and ideas with other book lovers.
12. Buy used books
13. Rent textbooks or download eTextbooks
14. Donate books you don't want to keep anymore to your library
15. Buy books at Better World Books, a unique social enterprise and a B Corporation.
16. Look for books on Freecycle
17. Check Indigo's website - They're the only large book retailer where you can filter books that are printed on FSC/recycled paper.
18. Learn more on the debate if eBooks are greener than physical books
19. Support publishers who are members of the Green Press Initiative
20. Use a reusable shopping bag while buying books in bookstores
21. Buy new and used books at Better World Books
22. Look for bookstores where you can print books instantly using their Espresso Book Machine
23. Buy books that are printed using print on demand (POD) technology
24. Support authors who are committed to the environment
25. Check RAN's Rainforest-Safe Kids’ Books buying guide to learn which of the largest US children book publishers are really committed to protect Indonesia's rainforests.
27. Buy from publishers who have established environmental policies.
28. Prefer bookmarks with seeds
29. Buy books from publishers who provide valuable green information online
30. Visit bookstores that collaborate with Eco-Libris
31. Buy from publishers participating in our green books campaign
32. Buy children's books from passionate green publishers
33. If you're reading ebooks, look for ebooks on green issues
34. Use twitter and facebook to tell your favorite green authors how you appreciate their efforts to go green
35. Buy from authors who are self-publishing books with green content
36. Share information on green books you read with other readers on Goodreads
37. Support publishers that for them every day is Earth Day
38. Enjoy outdoor reading
39. Follow virtual book tours
40. Read Rethinking Paper & Ink: The Sustainable Publishing Revolution to learn more on sustainable reading.
41. Plant a tree with Eco-Libris for every book you read!
Happy Earth Day!
Raz @ Eco-Libris
Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading
