The Public Library: Where Borrowing Is Greener Than Buying
Does the promise of free books, music, and movies pique your interest? Then grab your library card and check out your public library!
As someone who has spent huge chunks of her life pouring over books in a library, I am always surprised by the number of people who do not know about the offerings of today’s public libraries.
Many libraries are making great strides to provide (at no cost aside from late fines) what the public wants. Offerings often include the following:
- Bestseller and classic fiction and nonfiction books
- Current and classic DVDs and CDs
- AudioBooks on CD and cassette
- Downloadble AudioBooks and eBooks
- WiFi internet access on-site
Right now, I am borrowing a recently published vegan cookbook, a new independent movie (Easy Virtue), a copy of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, and a new soundtrack CD from the New York Public Library. As an added bonus, while I enjoy browsing the stacks and discovering new things, my library (like many libraries) allows users to request an item online and then emails them when the item is ready for pickup.
Even if I end up having to wait a little longer to obtain a copy of a current bestseller or new movie or if I have to pay a late fine occasionally – and I will confess that this happens more frequently than I would like – borrowing from the library is greener and cheaper than buying new by a mile.
Phone(y) Health
With all this talk about health care, toxicity, and who knows ‘the facts’, it seemed only appropriate to shed a little bit of light on a lesser recognized health issue, our cell phones. It is estimated that 4.6 Billion individuals use cell phones on a regular basis. An astounding number that attests to the epidemic that is cell phone use. So what of these electromagnetic wonders?
SARs for Phones
The most major concern is about “SAR”, or Specific Absorption Rates that have been loosely tied to various negative human health issues including cancer. Governments have regulated the maximum SAR level in the US to 1.6 W/kg over 1 gram of tissue on the head. You can check your phone’s SAR rating online. Phones with more features, like camera’s and the internet typically produce significantly more radiation than the older phones that work for calls and text only.
Science on the Hazards: Can you hear us now?
How hazardous are our new gadgets? There is a large debate, with very little consistent (or funded) scientific evidence that directly links cell phone use to cancer, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and heart palpitations. The World Health Organization declared the studies ‘inconclusive’ and are scheduled to product their own report this year on the issue. The National Radiation Advisory Authorities on the other hand recommend the Precautionary Principle. By avoiding use and exposure to cell phone radiation, you can avoid waiting for an “Uh Oh” response, like DDT in the 1960s.
Precautionary Principle
The Precautionary Principle appears to be the smartest option. There is a large vested interest in the spread of cell phones, from building towers in African deserts with the assumption of future markets to coming out with a new ‘must have gadget’ every two years. With this type of investment, it is difficult to evaluate the scientific studies that have been conducted. Similar to the Genetically Modified Organism debate, the science investigating the health effects of cell phones has been muted.
The general agreed upon studies request that studies are conducted for 10 years, more time than I myself have even used a cell phone, with new technology evolving constantly modifying the reliance on cell phones. So instead of waiting for a report, it may be helpful to adhere to these guidelines suggested by various radiation, cell phone, and health organizations.
Cell Phone Use Safety Tips
Here are some helpful hints to reduce your exposure:
- Use handsets & headsets
- Text instead of voicemail
- Limit children’s exposure and use of cell phones
- Do not sleep with your phone near you, for instance on your bedside table
- Do not use your phone in low to no coverage areas. They require more radiation to gain the signal.
Photo by Chris Jordan.
If you learn that your phone is above the regulated and/or suggested limits and need a new phone, please be sure to recycle your cell phone. In 2007, it was estimated that 426,000 cell phones are thrown out in the US every year! So close the loop, recycle or donate your phone when needed and see what the Precautionary Principle can do for you!
Reduce, Reuse THEN Recycle
Whenever you hear the phrase Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, should it really be Reduce, Reuse then Reccle? The order in which the items in that phrase seems arbitrary, but it’s actually quite important.
Reduce
This is the first thing we should all do to save waste from ending up in landfills. By reducing our consumption of goods, especially those that we do not need, is key to ensure that we are not wasteful. Many of the items we buy are just so unnecessary and only are costing us more and more money. I talked about the big issue of food waste some time ago and you would be staggered to hear of all the food that goes to waste every day in our country. Food is not the only problem in a world where we are buying electronics, furniture and so much more.
Reuse
After doing our best to reduce the amount we consume, the next step is to reuse. We all need to buy stuff, but a great way to save money and help reduce the amount of new products manufactured is to reuse. We can all make a difference if we can reuse the items we already have and buy used items from places like consignment shops and Craigslist.
Recycle
Recycling should only be done after the first two. We are often lead to believe that we have to recycle our items immediately after we use them, but there are so many instances when we can reuse items. It’s easy to throw that glass drinking bottle in the recycle bin, but it can be reused for many uses and help avoid the use of additional plastic water bottles. This is just one of many examples in which reducing or recycling should take precedence to recycling.
GoodSearch: A Charitable Internet Search Alternative
If your internet habits are anything like mine, then you perform several internet searches every day. A great way of getting more out of your searching is to use GoodSearch (www.goodsearch.com), a charitable alternative powered by Yahoo! Search.
Unlike conventional internet search engines, GoodSearch donates half of its revenue to the nonprofit organization of your choice. This amounts to a donation of about a penny per search but, as you can imagine, the pennies add up after a while. For instance, searches on GoodSearch have raised over $1,900 for the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council).
You can add a GoodSearch bar to your browser if you use Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Part of the beauty of GoodSearch is that, beyond choosing an organization to help and adding the bar to your browser, using GoodSearch requires no extra effort on your part.
And just think of all of the environmental organizations that you can help. The National Audubon Society, Earthwatch Institute, the Rainforest Action Network … or a small, local nonprofit on your choice. My searches help Riverkeeper (Tarrytown, NY), New York’s Clean Water Advocate. Who will you search for?
Swaptree and Save a Tree
Free Books, Fewer Resources
If you are anything like me, then you keep most of the books that you have read up to this point and have either shelved them (where most of mine have landed), lent or gave them away to friends, or tried to sell them at a yard sale or to a second-hand store. I have never thrown away a book that I no longer wanted, and I’ll bet most people do not. Throwing already-been-read books away is probably not a big environmental concern as books tend to hold value for us, even after we’re done reading them-either sentimental value or an aesthetic one, as many of us like to display them in our bookcases.
What is more of an eco issue, however, are the numbers of new books that we Americans purchase on a regular basis. Libraries are great, but what if it is a new, best-seller you seek? Borrowing a book that is in great demand at your local library can take weeks, even months. And if you have a child at home who is obsessed with getting the next installment of Magic Tree House or Captain Underpants, being on a library wait-list, no matter how green it may be, just isn’t going to cut it. So I, and undoubtedly many others, find myself taking regular trips to our local bookseller to pick up a copy of our new must-have. As a regular customer of eBay, I began to wonder if there wasn’t some kind of a swap site that focuses primarily on books. One simple web search later and voila! Apparently many other folks thought this would be a good idea, too.
As I am mostly in the market for children’s chapter books, which my daughter blazes through at a lighting-fast pace, I visited many sites hoping that I would find one that offers a large selection of this particular genre. I also looked for a site that was well-organized, user-friendly, and had a lot of members, making successful swapping possible. I settled upon Swaptree.com right away. Easy to use, with an excellent design, I signed up on the spot and began listing items I was willing to swap with others. Not just books, Swaptree also welcomes swapping of video games, Cd’s and DVD’s. Within hours, I had made three trades. Our first Wii game arrived today and two books are also on their way. When you become a member of Swaptree, you can decide what you want on your wish list as well as what items you are willing to offer in trade. Every trade must be authorized by both parties, and much like eBay, members can give each other ratings to ensure that proper trading etiquette is maintained.
So how green a concept does Swaptree have on their hands? As I stated earlier, I do not think people are throwing away these items on a regular basis, but many of us do purchase new ones fairly frequently. In contrast, however, when you swap with others, rather than buying new, there is an ongoing savings of paper and plastic as well as resources. And like eBay, members of Swaptree make up their own community, where people are excited to share what they already have with others. Messages can be passed back and forth and today I received an enthusiastic “Your book is on its way. Enjoy!” As it is stated on the Swaptree website, “When you share well, you swap well.” What a great message to receive as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day this past week.
Wal-Mart Chairman: It Pays to Go Green
When H. Lee Scott, Jr., Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and former CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., spoke at the Fortune Brainstorm GREEN conference on April 19, 2010, he clearly stated that Wal-Mart’s motivation for going green was economically-motivated. According to CNET.com, Scott said, “What Wal-Mart has done is approach this from a business stand point and not from a point of altruism. If we as a company focus on waste, we can make Wal-Mart a better company and at the same time, become a better citizen.” (For more of Scott’s thoughts on the environment, check out this interesting interview with Grist from 2006.)
While I wish that Wal-Mart – a retail giant with more than 8,400 stores in fifteen countries and over $400 billion dollars in revenue each year – had greened its supply chain out of a desire to be “a better citizen” rather than seeing that result as almost accidental, I appreciate the bottom line:
It pays to go green.
And if Wal-Mart can take steps in an environmentally responsible direction, then I will keep my fingers crossed that a multitude of other businesses – both big and small – will follow suit.
Kohl’s Stores Are Going Green and Giving Back
Kohl’s Inc. – a retailer with almost 1,100 stores in the United States – made news recently by announcing its plan to bring solar energy to ten of its stores in Colorado. According to Newsweek, Kohl’s “[h]as the largest solar power program of any retailer globally.” Currently, eighty-six Kohl’s stores in Maryland, California, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Oregon, and New Jersey use solar power.
In addition to its solar power initiative, Kohl’s plans to donate $2 million to nonprofit organizations in honor of Earth Day and National Volunteer Week, and Kohl’s A-Team Volunteers – comprised of Kohl’s employees – will practice environmental responsibility by participating in environmental initiatives throughout the month of April.
At a time when some companies are only going green because it pays to go green, it is always good to hear about a company that is actively contributing funds to environmental causes.
