Tree Huggin' Tuesday: Your Local Library

The original idea for starting the One Small Change challenge was to bring out easy ideas that we could all do to make small changes that lead to reduced environmental impacts. These don't have to be huge changes like buying a $40,000 hybrid car. We love many of the ideas we have seen on blogs across the web.

Today's Tree Huggin Tuesday will discuss using the local library to reduce waste. Our family is in love with the public library. We take the kids for story time and let them pick out books and movies. I have not only been reading books like crazy over the last few months, but I have also been exploring the CD collection (our library has a great bluegrass section), and we have been borrowing movies too.

Today's guest post is by Jess of Openly Balanced. In her own words, "Openly Balanced is a blog dedicated to finding equilibrium; in our lives, our communities, and on our planet. Because they’re all connected and you can’t have one without the others. It is about sustainable living, and what that means to each of us."
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Hi, my name is Jess.

I’m a book-aholic. And so is my husband. As children, both of us dreamed geekily of having a room in our grownup house dedicated to books – custom floor to ceiling shelves with rolling ladders and all. I used to think that there was no such thing as too many books. Then I grew up and headed off to college. My books stayed with my mom. A few years later, a forest fire burned down her house, and took all of my books with it. I’m not going to lie; I mourned. But as I moved around the country – from college in Colorado to Long Beach, CA to Washington DC, and finally to Washington state – it dawned on me that I had to move every single book I bought. Every time.

I realized it might be better if I didn’t buy every book I wanted to read. (Believe it or not, you don’t have to own everything.) It was time for me to rediscover the local library.
The Planet Loves Libraries

Environmentally speaking, the publishing industry is pretty toxic. In addition to the environmental impact of tree harvesting, it takes a tremendous amount of water and energy to produce books. The costly supply chain continues when books are transported to retail stores or shipped directly to consumers who order online, not to mention the fact that companies regularly pulp thousands of unsold books.
There is much debate about whether the growing green consumer market is actually a good thing for the planet. The release of the e-readers was initially heralded by some eco-geeks as an environmental victory, but the conversation fizzled when no consensus could be reached. How does reduced publishing industry impact over time measure up to the lifecycle costs of one more electronic gadget made of plastic and heavy metals? Hard to say, and very much dependent on how people use and dispose of their e-readers.
Certainly, eco-friendly options are a good thing. But what the planet really needs is for us to consume less. Much less. Which makes the library the best option of all. A virtually endless supply of books, of course. But they also have CDs, DVDs, and MP3 audio book downloads. Tons of stuff that you don’t have to buy. No additional trees, plastics, transportation costs, or packaging. Using your library to consume media is really good for the planet.
Frugal People Love Libraries

Using a library is also really cheap. And by really cheap, I mean free. I don’t know about you, but every time I walk into a bookstore, I spend at least $100. If I weren’t so good at avoiding the DVD and music sections, the damage would be much worse than that. I always spend it on something I need right away, even if I’m already in the middle of reading three different books. I can’t help but succumb to the lure of the bookstore.

For people like me, libraries are amazing. I can go in and pick up every book that looks remotely interesting and walk out without paying a cent. (Ok, some libraries have limits, but they’re much bigger limits than the one my wallet confronts at the bookstore cash register.) Piles of books. And they let me renew them! Libraries are particularly wonderful if you have children, who tend to go through books much more quickly than adults do. Certainly there are classics that your children may want to read again and again. But do you really want to buy enough books to satiate your little bookworm? Can you afford to?

Libraries can also save you a fortune on DVDs. I have friends who will buy a movie just because they think they might like it – don’t be one of those people! There’s probably a good chance that you won’t like a movie enough to watch it again. If it’s not a movie you know you’re going to wake up at 3 AM with a burning desire to watch, or one you are going to watch all the time, think about checking it out from the library instead.

The Community Loves Libraries

Sadly, in some communities this isn’t true. But the community should love libraries, because a good library is so much more than a building full of books. Besides providing easy access to resources for the frugal and environmentally conscious, libraries can be a hub for community interaction. I spent many long summer days and after school hours at the library, so I know firsthand how valuable a good library is.

Many libraries offer youth reading programs, which are especially valuable during the summer and over winter break. In communities with struggling schools (and even those where the schools are fine) libraries provide an additional educational safety net for children. A good librarian can help your child learn to love reading by finding the perfect book for your kid. And librarians, while they may occasionally resemble their frumpy stereotype and shush you (especially if you’re loud like I am), are actually professionals uniquely trained to help you find what you’re looking for.

Some libraries also open their doors for community classes, most of which are either very affordable or completely free. My local library plays host to various guest speakers, several book clubs, a young adult reading group, movie screening and discussion groups, and children’s story hours. Libraries can be a great way to connect with other members of your community in fun and interesting ways.

All said and done, I’m a big geeky library lover. But didn’t you hear? Being a geek is cool! So embrace your inner treehugger, your inner frugalista, and your inner geek and get yourself to the nearest library.

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Thank you Jess. If you are interested in contributing to Tree Huggin Tuesday, send me an email at andy@hipmountainmama.com.

Andy

Tree Huggin' Tuesday: Your Local Library