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 favorite part of the library is having that wide selection of books available to me for free.
Getting the peace and quite.
I love that you can read books for free. And because it’s free you can read books that you might not have otherwise tried if you had to buy them. Thanks for the giveaway!
Oh gosh..many are my fav..but the best is I don’t have to buy almost any books for my kids and still they end up reading great stuff
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The thing I love most about my library is that they have a perpetual used-book sale in the front–it allows me to donate my used books and magazines and purchase (for a quarter or 50 cents) pre-loved books from someone else! Thanks for the contest!
The best thing about the library the money saving aspect. Books are so expensive when purchased in a bookstore so a trip to the library is the perfect solution.
My favorite part is wandering around, discovering books I might never have thought of buying/reserving.
i like the peace and quiet.
the wide variety of books. always a surprise in what i find
i love all the different groups available
the peace and quiet while i look at all the new books
i love the big variety of books to choose from
I love that I can place a hold on a book and it’s ready for me the next day when I can run in and pick it up without having to search for the book (this is easier with a 2 year old in tow anyway)
i love that i can browse while my children look at books
My son and I go to the library once aweek. He loves the crafts that they do and I actually like to sit and read in peace and quiet. Thank you
I love the many different books you can get.
Saves money and large selection! I love the library! I love reading!
My favorite thing about using the library is that you have access to almost all the books you could ever want and it allows you to save quite a bit of money. I use the library all the time. Thanks for the chance. I’d love a new bookbag!
I think what I love most is just being surrounded by so many books. I had a decent library growing up (for being in a small town), but my teen years were spent with a terrible library. Now I live in a city where I can enjoy spending all day in the library and can always find a ton of books to check out. Plus, I can renew online from home.
I love all the books on tape and books on CD….
Really love the free Books & Dvds I can borrow at make Public Library as well as great tracking on my account, tells me when a Book or a Movie , I reserved is ready for pickup.
I love the new fiction section. I love finding out about new books. Thank you for having this!
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I like being able to find so much information in one place.
I can read all the newest books without having to purchase them
Love the DVDs
wow, like so much about the library, hard to pick one thing:
but new fiction and new kids books are probably my favorite areas
I love the wide selection of books, videos and cds, all for free. I go on their website and search for books that I want. Then I have them sent to the branch closes to my house. I love being able to do that.
My favorite thing about the library is my whole family can go and be entertained. We each head to our favorite sections and then meet back and share our wonderful finds! Then we go pick out some DVD’s to borrow. I love the library!
The new books I come across become new friends.
Being able to browse casually, and I can take a chance on a book. If I don’t like it, just return it. Have discovered many wonderful books by just trying it, but would have never taken that chance if I were buying it.
I love everything about using the library. I can take a beautiful walk on the greenbelt path to get there, and they will hold books for me so I know what I want will be there. I guess my favorite part about using the library is that it’s FREE. My favorite price. 😉 Thanks for the contest, I love these totes!
It’s free!
I love all the afternoon programs and contests they have at the library to promote reading.
I have always loved the library. As a child, I lived in a small town and learned to love books thru the bookmobile, worked in a library thru out college, always took my children who (coincidentally one is thinking of getting a masters in library science after she herself worked in a library thru out college) and I now go to library often with my husband. We all love to go. Great assortment of books, new ideas, etc.
I like finding the many forgotten books that are out of print.
for as long as i can remember i loved spending time at the library. i think my favorite part of the library is check out when i can rush home, curl up in bed, and indulge in my passion…reading
I don’t think I entered this yet, I love love love the library. I love that I can look up books online to request them. I love the kid programs & the summer reading program. I also like that they offer internet service for when my computer acts up, lol.
The (seemingly) endless supply of books.
Taking my girls to the library to see what new books and videos they have is the best. The local blockbuster closed down so now all we have is the library or online, but I like actually going to the library and checking out the items.
silence
I love that it is free! unless of course you are late!
I love everything about the library! I used to work at the library at my high school and ever since then, I’ve been wanting to work in a library. Libraries are wonderful because books are everywhere and it’s free for everyone to use! I love that no matter who you are, you can take home a book for weeks and weeks and read it to your hearts content. I also love how the librarians give you advice on what books to get!
Oh, I enjoy our library’s website. I look up to see what new books will be coming to the library.
Books! Research! Peace! Quiet!
Going on the computer.
What’s not to love about the library! I take the children to the library often for free craft projects, events, and storytime. I love checking out the wide array of books and DVDs.
My favorite part about the library is their collection of foreign books.(translated into English of course)We can learn so much about other people when we read their writings. We are different but so much the same.
The cookbook section 🙂
the movies are cool, they always have new releases since they’ve been charging 50 cents to rent a movie, that’s not too bad! i can spend hours in the library just looking at the over-sized books and flipping through the art books!
My favorite part is expanding my kids reading selection every week.