In my book, reading is one of the most relaxing hobbies there is. Nowadays there are several ways to tuck into a good book, which speaks volumes about the popularity of this past time. But which of these is the most sustainable? Have a leaf through these ideas to see if you could go by an even more sustainable book…
Fancy reading pretty much any book on the planet for free? Then join your local library!
If your library doesn’t have the book you want to read, you can reserve it either for a few pence or for free (varies by council).
Borrowing books from your library means you are sharing the planet’s resources with your community, instead of energy and materials being used up to make a book just for you.
Generally, we tend to read a book once and then it will gather dust on a bookshelf until we read it again, if ever.
When borrowing a book, it can leave your house as soon as you’ve read it – think of all the space you will save in your home!
What’s more, in the UK, government funds make annual payments to authors and illustrators based on loans data from a sample of libraries – everyone’s a winner.
Most library memberships now come with free registration to apps such as
CloudLibrary for e-books and
BorrowBox for audio books.
You may have to be patient and wait for your desired book to become available, but it’s a great way of saving money if you prefer to read on your device.
Sometimes, there’s a reason we want to purchase a book to keep for life.
Perhaps it’s a favourite cookbook we’ll use time and again, or a novel with sentimental value that we read every year.
The most sustainable way to buy a book is to reuse existing resources and buy a second-hand copy.
Supporting your local charity shops supports both people and the planet.
If you can’t get there, many charity shops now have online stores or
World of Books (a certified B-Corp company which aligns itself with the UN Sustainable Development Goals) has a vast online collection.
If you can’t find a second-hand copy and really must buy a new book, head to your local, independent bookshop, many of which now have online stores.
Here are some of my personal favourites which focus on books with inclusive characters:
If your local, independent bookshop doesn’t have what you require,
Hive is a British, tax-paying company which offers free delivery and gives a cut of the profits from every purchase to an independent bookshop of your choice.
Another site to check out is
Bookshop, a B-Corp registered company which enables you to support a chosen independent bookshop.
It could be argued that purchasing one e-reader is a reduction in resources compared to buying hundreds of books over the course of your lifetime.
It is difficult to decide on a clear winner here, but there are ways to use an e-reader more sustainably.
Use an e-reader app on the phone or tablet you already own or share an e-reader with other members of your household if you’re not likely to need it at the same time.
These actions will reduce the materials required to make electronic devices.
Set the device to airplane mode when not browsing the store and lower screen brightness to save battery and reduce charging hours.
As mentioned above, the British, tax-paying company
Hive sell e-books if you’re looking for a more ethical supplier and remember that many libraries now provide free access to e-book lending services.
Similarly, listening to an audio book could be considered a reduction in resources compared to real books.
The added bonus here is that you do not require an extra device – simply download an audio book app to the phone or tablet you already own.
I am currently unaware of any ethical alternatives to the well-known market giant, but remember that many libraries now provide free access to audio book lending services.
So there we have it, there are many ways to read sustainably.
But which book to read next? Use our
search tool to find your next inclusive read!
