The Library Lowers Your Carbon Footprint

Saving money and the planet at the same time means keeping your carbon footprint low and your savings account high. By utilizing your local library a lot more than you do now, you can do both.

In this age of the personal phone, the personal computer and the personal space, we forget that community centers are sustainable aspects of our lives. By better utilizing public space, we cut down on our personal resources, which in turn mean lower carbon emissions. And despite our cyber obsession, the great depository of books still holds much sway.

To begin with, at the library you can read a book. Books are made from a sustainable material: paper. And by reading the library books rather than buying the same book new, you not only cut down on the number of trees that die to make the books, you save money. Libraries are free.

Libraries also offer internet and computer access for little or no cost. The only restriction is usually time, but who needs to be spend the day online? If you just occasionally check email and read a few green focused blogs (ahem), you only need about half an hour a day. Save yourself some money and sign up for 30 minutes of time at the library.

Besides books and blog reading, the library offers community discussion groups, movie rentals and film nights, craft and story time for your kids and a place to do research, hang out and meet people. All for free and all without increasing your carbon footprint.

Transportation to the library is often your only opportunity to add to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carpool with friends, take public transportation (there is usually a shuttle stop at the library in most cities), ride your bike or, here’s a thought, walk. Most people live pretty close to a library; it’s set up that way. A daily walk to the library gets your exercise in, saves on the use of fossil fuels and offsets your carbon footprint.

It’s a win win really. So think about being green this week by renewing your library card. You may be surprised at just how much there is to do at the local book depository.