Books are a small entity filled with invaluable gems of knowledge. Reading books on the other hand is one underrated hobby of all time. We live in a world where every basic necessity and every luxury is just one click away. Books too. With the emergence of technology-filled modern times, books also become digitalized and come in PDF, epub, and doc formats. Despite that, the craze of paperback and hardcover didn’t seem to decline among the most loyal bibliophiles in the world.
I am also an ardent book lover since childhood. I remember spending hours and hours reading the books my cousin bought for me. Books shape me, influence my thought process, and give me strength when I feel demotivated. Ask any book lover and they will have the same glorified stories about their unhealthy obsession with books. While books are an irreplaceable part of our lives, publishing one book can harm the environment.
In the United States, it is estimated that over 750 million books were sold. Books were produced using nearly 1.3 million tons of paper which is equal to 22 million trees and 12 billion gallons of water. It is observed that this leaves approximately 5.6 million metric tons of CO2 as a carbon footprint. (As Recorded in 2021)
This is only the statistic of only one country observed for one year. There are so many cases of mindlessly using natural resources and greedily degrading the environment. If you as a book lover feel guilty, I can assure you that feelings are so mutual but the question is what must we do? we can’t stop reading books.
No! But as loyal book lovers, we must make smart sustainable choices as a consumer that enhance our reading experience without having any harmful impact on the environment. we should be aware of the consequences our choices have on the environment even if it is as simple a choice as reading books. Books provide us with immense knowledge, entertainment, and inspiration but their production not only causes deforestation but also uses a lot of water while leaving a carbon footprint.
This blog will provide you with an amazing choice of picking second-hand books and taking a small step towards a sustainable lifestyle. Let’s save our beautiful Mother Nature!
Birth of the New Book: Environment’s Worst Nightmare
Nature is a living entity and reacts to all good and bad actions of human beings. Nature also loves to be pampered with care, decorated with beautiful trees, dances lively in rain, and blooms beautifully with every delicate touch. But we humans have expensive hobbies and we shamelessly make nature pay the worst consequences of our self-justified selfish actions. One such hobby is purchasing a new book! The production of new books is like a nightmare for the environment as it involves some harmful processes. We cut down trees and invest in energy-intensive printing processes that require gallons of water and the carbon footprint of global distribution. Produce new books is a nightmare for the environment because:
1. Ruthlessly cutting Trees (Deforestation):
Deforestation may seem like a topic of perfect debate as our generation likes to do things to maintain fancy appearances. But deforestation is a real problem that needs our serious attention. A survey in 2020 shows that nearly 5 billion trees were cut for paper production. Every year book production occupies nearly 35% of global wood harvest. This causes a great loss of biodiversity, disrupted and imbalanced ecosystems, and a rise in the amount of carbon emissions which leads to global warming.
2. Increased Levels of Energy Consumption:
Paper production is not only harmful to trees but also harms natural energy resources like fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the main source of energy while producing paper and emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Interestingly, 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water are used to produce one ton of book paper.
3. Mindless Usage of Water Despite Shortage:
The paper industry is the fifth largest consumer of water globally with 4% of total water consumption for industrial use. Processing of paper uses a significant amount of water and causes water scarcity. Not only this, heavy industrial processes also generate a lot of waste and causes pollution.
4. Carbon Footprint:
The new book involves processes like production, printing, and distribution. This leads to an average carbon footprint of 7.5 kg of CO2. Transportation of books from industry to bookstores has an adverse effect on the environment.
Second-Hand Books: Your Invaluable Consideration to Save Environment
As a book lover, I understand the temptation of buying a new book and the addictive smell of fresh pages. Choosing a second-hand book will be your invaluable contribution and caring consideration towards the environment. This is a win-win situation for both the environment and the reader. The readers will be able to quench their thirst for attaining knowledge while being mindful consumers and make sustainable choices of choosing second-hand books for the sake of the environment.
Amazing Benefits of Choosing Second-Hand Books
When you pick a second-hand book, you are not only making an environmentally-friendly choice but also saving our planet Earth. Second-hand books are not only a great alternative to attaining knowledge but also have a personal touch of fellow bibliophiles. Let’s be considerate to the environment because:
- You think of your contribution as a trivial effort but when you purchase a second-hand book, you’re saving trees, water, and the planet by reducing the demand for new paper, energy, and ink.
- Purchasing second-hand books significantly helps in the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases.
- You are a part of a circular economy as you save books from being discarded because they are outdated and converted into waste by choosing to purchase and preserve them.
- When a reader chooses second-hand books, it does not require any new production and expensive transportation which further reduces the carbon footprint related to reading.
- There are so many independent businesses and bookstores in your local area when you purchase second-hand books from those bookstores, it may help boost the local economy of your area.
- Second-hand books are a more affordable alternative to attain invaluable knowledge. While being an environmental lover you can access a wide range of knowledge and promote literacy.
Be a Smart Booklover and Adopt Sustainable Reading Habits with Second-hand Books
Enjoying a beautiful hobby like reading is not a sin and no one should feel guilty about it either. Booklovers need to be thoughtful about the environment and choose second-hand books as a smart alternative to gain knowledge and valuable insight into life through these valuable tips:
1. Spare Some Time to Visit Local Second-Hand Bookstores:
Explore your local area in your spare time for second-hand bookstores. These shops often have a wide range of book collections of almost every genre from classics to contemporary bestsellers at affordable rates.
2. Share and Swap Books with Members of Book Clubs and Friends:
Sharing books can be painful, to be honest, but if a reader is a fellow book lover and you know that book is going to be in responsible hands, you can organize a swap or book-sharing event. It is interesting to discover each other’s favorite genres without buying a book.
3. Utilize Online Platforms Thoughtfully:
Online platforms like eBay, ThriftBooks, and BookFinder or local second-hand books online handles are the easily available option to donate or buy your loved books.
4. Donate Unwanted and Old Books:
Never throw away a book you no longer need instead donate it to a second-hand bookshop.There are so many bookstores, charity houses, or libraries in your local areas, contact them and donate your used and unwanted books.
5. Borrow from Libraries and Book Clubs:
Libraries are like heaven for people who prefer sustainable reading. Borrowing a book from a library means you are saving valuable resources while enjoying your amazing reading hobby.
Conclusion
Choosing second-hand books is a very significant decision for the betterment of the environment as it reduces carbon footprint and reduces waste production. This may look like a simple way but has a very powerful impact on natural resources, water-bodies, and Mother Nature. By embracing sustainable reading habits, you help local communities and shops grow while preserving natural resources. You also promote the principle of reuse and recycling while enjoying your hobby stress-free. you’re not only contributing to the preservation of natural resources but also supporting a culture of reuse and recycling.
So, next time when you have a craving for reading books consider visiting your local bookshops or consider using online second-hand books websites to make a small but significant difference in preserving the environment.
