Consider environmentally friendly options when buying books

I’m a sucker when it comes to buying books. I love being able to visit the local Barnes & Noble, load up a cart (yes, they have carts) and return with a whole year’s worth of novels to read.

On my latest trips there, I have been drawn to the environmental section. Many of the novels are designed to entertain, scare or inform about the current status of our world.

However, as I held the book in my hands, I thought: is publishing this book, which is made out of paper and other synthetic materials taken from trees all across the planet, defeating the purpose of preaching about environmentalism? Should we be moving from written, paper books as a whole and opting for Kindles and other e-book options?

I’m not the only one thinking about it. After a quick Google search, I found many articles discussing the pros and cons of physical paper books. Yes, new paper books do have an impact on the planet.

According to an article published by the Hand Me Down Book Club, the newspaper and book publishing industry use a huge amount of water each year (around 153 billion gallons). Creating a single book can produce about 7.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide, and when that book ends up in a dump, the decomposition produces twice that.

So, as much as I hate it, running to Barnes & Noble every week to buy a new book is not exactly the most helpful thing to be doing for the planet. However, don’t fret— here are more reusable options out there!

I admit it, I do love my Kindle. It’s lightweight, holds a charge nicely, and allows me to read on the dark Link at even the latest or earliest of hours without having to squint to see the words with the light-up screen.

Not to mention, the production of one Kindle or e-reader uses the same amount of materials that it takes to create 40 to 50 copies of paper books.

Yet, the Kindle doesn’t have the same feel as a normal book. I don’t get to scribble on the screen, write notes or fold a page that I want to come back to (there are digital options to do this on an e-reader—not the same feeling).

The other wonderful environmental option is used books. Saving books by trading them with friends, selling them to your local used book store or even opting into a book swap is a reusable option that saves money, time and resources. I also find that reading used books can be a unique adventure, especially when you stumble upon a novel with notes scribbled on each page.

There are also our lovely libraries! You can check out a novel and return it for another to use, extending the use of a novel for a whole community to enjoy.

While I do love my weekly adventures to Barnes & Noble, I am going to make more of an effort to be aware of my impact and look into these options. If you want more information or are looking for a good read, you can always check out our libraries on campus and in the area (Alcuin, Clemens, Great River Regional Library) or the used book stores in the area (like Books Revisited).