I would not claim to be “green,” but I’m greener than I was, and I’m interested in learning about changes I can make to get greener. That’s one reason I love the new 5 Minutes for Going Green site. Each week I get information on small changes I should be and could be making to reduce my carbon footprint.
One area that I have mastered is taking my own canvas bags to the grocery store. In addition to the fact that they are reusable and not plastic, they hold more and they are sturdier than those plastic bags they go through by the hundreds (thousands?) at the grocery store.
I’ve recently expanded my use of these canvas bags. They are perfect for loading up items for a picnic at the park (which is more environmentally friendly than stopping at McDonald’s). I love to use them when I’m packing up stuff for a weekend away, and in addition to grocery shopping, I use my totes each week by taking them to the library.
I am the mother of two little bookworms, and of course I love to read too, so our trips to the library result in more than one book a piece. My four-year-old usually comes home with a Thomas DVD, a Thomas book or two, and maybe another book if I’ve been able to convince him to look beyond the foot of space devoted to the Reverend W. Auden’s collected works. My nine-year-old always gets at least three or four books and finishes them in time to return them the following week. Since I am up to my ears in review copies, I stay away from fiction at the library, but I often bring home a (heavy) cookbook or two.
My minusbags canvas tote works perfectly for this. It doesn’t have a store logo emblazoned on it, and it’s not that thin canvas that I’ve acquired for 99 cents.
It got me to thinking that using the library is a very green practice:
- Libraries use and reuse resources—one book purchased by the library will be enjoyed by many people, as opposed to buying my own copy of a book and reading it and then letting it take up space on my bookshelf.
- Using the library saves fuel—my library is much closer to me than any bookstore. Even if I shop online (which is honestly how I buy 95% of my books), those books I order are shrink-wrapped, packed and shipped across country resulting in used fuel.
- Using the library supports the community – even though I’m not technically consuming, staying local is good for the local economy.
Would you like to win one of two gorgeous minusbags totes? Leave a comment here telling me your favorite part of using the library. I’ll draw two winners on August 20 (The giveaway is now closed. Thanks for all your great comments about libraries).
Managing Editor Jennifer Donovan is a contributing editor at 5 Minutes for Mom. She has been blogging at Snapshot for over two years. You’ll almost always find her holding either a book, a fork, a child’s hand, her laptop, or some combination therein.
My small town library lets us use the next town’s over!
I just love being around books and glancing through them
My favorite thing to do at the library is to use one of the computers to
visit the “5 Minutes for Mom” and “5 Minutes for Books” sites. Such cool sites and I learn so much!
Thanks for the contest.
Ever since I was a kid, libraries have been like a sanctuary for me. It’s quiet and full of the resources that I love. It’s a haven.
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When I was a child, it was a huge treat to go to the library every other Saturday. I raised my children to use the library (and they do). Finally my husband discovered the library and all it offers. I find new authors and we can find books on how-to-do almost anything.
When I leave the library with a bag full of new adventures in the offing, I feel rich beyond my means! I have found so much reading pleasure between the pages of books from the library through all the years of my life.
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I love the AC and the QUIET!
I love going to the kid area in the library. the kids get to sit with other kids and talk about the books and it’s a lot of fun for them!
The best part of the library is that it is all free for the taking. You can get so much entertainment out of one trip to the local library. You can catch up on local news through the newspapers, the latest fashion in the magazines, rent movies for Friday night movie night, cds for listening to on the way to work, and books on any subject from fun fiction to how to make a cake!
My favorite part of using the library is on-line!
My favorite part of the library is the wide selection! You can find old and new books all in the same place! Thanks for the giveaway!
I really NEED a new library bag! I love so many things about the library. I special order new release fiction books & they email me when they’re ready to pick up. I read 1-2 books per week so if I paid for them & only read them once it would be a waste of money & paper.
My favorite part of using the library is being able to get any book because the library can order it from another library!!
I love when you can find older books that are out of print.
I love my grandchildren’s library! You can pick out books on line and they will be sent to your house (You do have to return them and the packaging). When they return books, they look for more. Mom, Dad and all four kids are book lovers so they always have a pile of books checked out. The library provides such a rich resource for a variety of reading materials; it is so wonderful to see even the 3 year old “reading” his books.
love all the new adventures every time I open a book of course 🙂
My favorite part of using the library is the online reservation system. I never need to look for a book on the shelf!
My favorite part about using the library is being able to put books on hold. It saves a lot of time. I also just like to be able to peruse the aisles and see what looks good. I love books.
great!
This may sound a little odd, but I love the sound and the smell of the library and the books of course; but the sound and the smell make the library its own unique place to me!
Thanks, I’d love one of these totes!
love the cookbooks too
Our library here is nice. It’s a good place to relax and do homework peacefully, without interruption. 🙂
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our children’s library is just wonderful-all kinds of activites for them, and I enjoy the adults section because its quiet!
My favorite part about using the library is that I can chose almost any book at any time without spending a lot of money. With the prices of things lately, it’s been difficult to purchase books like I used to. The price here is definitely right! Thank you for the contest!
My favorite part of the library is the DVD/Games section they have. You can rent any DVD or Game you want as long as you have a library card for a minimal fee. It sure beats renting DVDs or Games from Blockbuster. This is a great giveaway and I really hope I win. Thanks.
I love the library. They have so many wonderful activities for my grandchildren and they love bringing books home to read.
My favorite part of using the library is if you do manage to get a bookyou don’t like, it doesn’t matter if you read it because you can just give it back.
Our library has selections of DVD’s you can borrow- also I like borrowing the books and returning them that way they don’t become dust collectors at home!
My favorite part about using the library is the peace and serenity that it offers it’s guests. For me, since it is so very noisy in my home…the best place to go for peace and quiet and time to read is the library 🙂
I like the fact that people can share books. When I buy books at the store I generally only read them one time and then they sit on the shelf. It seems like such a waste! The library fixes that problem!!!
My favorite part is being able to read a book in peace without interruptions, like the phone ringing or people yelling for me. Thats the best!
My favorite part of the Libary is the DVD section — and the new books!
Well, it is free except for massive late fees I seem to attract!
I love that I can get just about anything I want (within reason) just by calling and asking, even if takes a bit of time. My daughter loves the book sales they run every so often.
I like that I can just sit and browse through books as much as I want and find something that I never even knew existed!
I love to teach my kids the value of books. I am an avid reader and I also cannot get thru one day without reading to my kids. I like to read all different books to them and at the same time, teach them the concept of borrowing. And respecting others things. Thanks for the great contest!
I love so many things about our library. I love to read , everything and anything. So whatever my interest is any certain visit I can find it at our library. I have also made some lasting friends. Another closet criminologist who is a sweet great grandmother. Someone who loves time travel romances and helps me complain the library doesn’t stock enough. The yound reader who is a better book reviewer than a lot I’ve read. Yes I do love going to our local library
My favorite part of using the library is the amount of books you can get all at once! Most people can’t afford to buy 10 books all at once at say Barnes and Noble, at least not regularly. If you don’t like the books you purchased you can’t really take them back, they don’t tend to like it because you could just read them then return them I guess. If you don’t like the library books you picked out you can just take it back and get another one!
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I love using the library because I don’t have to pay for the books and I can reserve them if they’re already checked out. Also, I can walk to the library as it’s almost in my backyard!
I really love the convenience and efficiency of the on-line reserve. It saves energy and time (and I can sit on my rear end without moving. LOL).
I read, read, read! The librarian knows me by name, and also recommends books that I may like!
a great source for facts or a good read and a quiet place to do it
our library has the best programs for children even though it is small.
I love taking my granddaughter to the excellent Children’s Programs that our library hosts. She loves to listen to the storytellers and she loves the Arts & Crafts projects. Thanks for the chance to win your great giveaway!
I like that their Reading is Fundamental weekly program for kids. My daughters LOVE to go.
I just love the way a library smells and the memories the smell brings back!
I love the shelves where all the great Mystery books are! Thank You.
For me the best things about the library are the memories. Taking children, who are now grown, to the library for the first time, and their subsequent discovery of the access to the world that was provided in the stacks is a favorite memory journey.
My fav part of our tiny plain library is the wonderful people that work there. My kids prefer to go to our library other than other surrounding libraries with better selections, kids activities, etc…just because of the great people who work there.
I love taking my kids to the library. They get to play a little in the kids corner and they always get to leave with something (borrowed books) and it doesn’t cost me a cent!