AD – This is a collaborative post, read my disclaimer here.
I’ve been reading a lot lately, but buying new books isn’t the most eco-friendly thing so I’m going to share some ways to read sustainably.
(Photo by Ella Jardim on Unsplash)
Borrow from the library
Libraries are so underrated! I honestly don’t know why more people don’t sign up for their local library. I’ve always loved going to the library, ever since I was a small child. It’s completely free to join the library, you just need proof of address and can generally take out a lot of books. At my library, there is also free access to Borrow Box which is an app for eBooks. On Borrow Box, there are also newspapers and audiobooks. I much prefer to read a physical book, but eBooks are great when you are on holiday.
Another library app that is sometimes used is Libby which has access to books, newspapers and magazines. Check out Iconic Magazine Online Reviews, a free magazine featuring travel, true crime and lifestyle articles.
A couple of times I have taken a book out of the library and loved it so much that I wanted my own copy. In both of these instances, they have been nature books which I spotted at the library. I’m sure I would have eventually come across them, but now I know for certain that I want the book.
Support independent shops
Another way to read sustainably is to support independent shops. It is widely known that Amazon is not a sustainable or ethical brand, so it is much better to buy elsewhere. Independent and local shops are places that need our support as they are much more eco-friendly and ethical. Bookshop.org let you choose your local independent shop to order from. Buying local removes the shipping aspect that online book shopping has which reduces your carbon footprint. I think that Amazon owns Goodreads, so you could try switching to StoryGraph. I recently switched StoryGraph and it’s fun seeing my reading statistics.
Buy second-hand
Charity shops are a great place to shop sustainably and find cheap books. If there is a book that I want to buy that hasn’t recently been released, I like to look in my local charity bookshop. They have a massive range of books, and I almost always find a book I want. I’ve had to start being picky with what books I buy or else I would get too many. The nature section in my local shop is really good and I bought a really good quality insect guide which would have been expensive.
Other than charity shops, there are also online second-hand shops. World of Books is my favourite for buying second-hand books and they are great quality too. They often have an offer on, I think currently it’s buy 3 books and get the 4th free. World of Books has free delivery so no reason not to buy from them!
EBay and Vinted also sell second-hand books for cheaper prices. If I need a textbook for university, eBay is my first port of call.
Related post: 8 reasons why you should choose second-hand
Find your nearest Little Free Library
Little Free Libraries are a very cool concept and I have seen them in lots of places across the world. They are basically just a cabinet of books which is free for everyone to access. They are sometimes created in disused phone boxes, or an old kitchen cabinet. I think it’s a lovely way to bring the local community together. There was a Little Free Library close to where I was living in my second year of university. Annoyingly, I only discovered it the week before I moved out!
There is a worldwide map on the Little Free Library website so you can see if there is one near you. I saw a Little Free Library in France right by the beach, and also at Lake Como. There isn’t one near me, but maybe I could start one?
Borrow books from friends/family
Another way to read sustainably is by borrowing from friends and family. I’m not so good at this method because I think we all want to keep our own books. But I have borrowed a few books and have lent mine to friends and I would definitely like to do it more. If there is a book on your to-read list and someone else has it, why not borrow theirs? If you end up wanting a copy for yourself then you can get one after.
Host or attend a book swap
I love going to book swaps and hosted one at university last year which was fun. It is nice to see an array of different book genres. Some cafes have a shelf of books which you can read and swap a book. I think this is such a fun idea, and I definitely want to get involved. A hostel that I stayed at in Milan had lots of bookshelves full of book swapping. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find many in English, but such a cool idea.
Continue reading: 6 ways to read sustainably
Buy overstocked books
Some shops sell books that the publisher or other shops have overbought. I think that TK Maxx do this because their prices are normally lower than RRP. I have seen that they sell beautiful classic books such as Emma, Little Women etc. It took a lot for me not to buy them! Abe Books is another place that sell overstocked books.
Donate books
Once you have finished reading, if you no longer want the book you can donate it. I think it’s nice when you get a book second-hand and then return it to the same or a different charity shop. It is a great way for someone else to enjoy the book too. Donating to a charity shop is probably the simplest method, but you could also sell books online.
If you want to make a bit of money but don’t want to wait around, Ziffit is an option to consider. You scan the barcode of the books you want to sell and they say how much the book is worth. They calculate the weight and then you can send them off. To complete the order you need to read 10 books or a £5 basket total.
Do you try to read sustainably?
Caroline ♡
The Little Free Library sounds like a great idea for lending books! I’d love to visit my local library more often for books! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Definitely x
These are amazing ideas Caroline – I’m a huge fan of our public library, and also love to do book swaps with others so we just buy 1 copy! 🙂
Thank you, love that Alex! x
Oh, I love this! It’s so great to be reminded of all the ways we can make reading a sustainable and environmentally-conscious choice. I will be making better use of my local library as well as independent bookstores. I like the idea of buying secondhand so I will have to see what is near me for that!
Hope you find some good books 🙂 x
i love little free libraries! it’s my favorite way to donate books. plus, sometimes you can find some free hidden gems.
Definitely, I’m going to see if I can help install one near when I live x
I rarely buy a book as I don’t tend to re-read books ( I do buy them as gifts for those that don’t like ereaders though. I do a combination of ebooks and library reads which I is sustainable and economical! Great topic Caroline!
I agree, thank you x
I love this post. We’ve found our local book swap & we also have a little one where we live.
It’s such a great way to read amazing stories but be sustainable at the same time.
Amazing! x
The little free library is SO cute! When I move there’s going to be a mobile library that comes around and I can’t wait to use it! I’ll also be buying more from independent bookshops x
Oh I love the sound of a mobile library! x
I need to be more conscious of this too! Thanks for sharing all these great ways to read sustainably!
Thank you for reading Charity x
I liked the book swap idea. It’s a cool way to read sustainably. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you x
I love the idea of a free library and I really wish we had more at hand. Sharing my books is something I love to do because, unless I really love them, I don’t plan on reading them again any time soon. So someone else might as well make use of them.
Me too! x
These are absolutely wonderful ideas. We also go to annual used book sales at our local library. We fill a tote bag of different genres of books for just $5.
That sounds amazing x
I would love to live in a village with a bookswap box like in the TV show Neighbours. Great ideas for affordable and ecofriendly reading.
Me too!
Wonderful tips Caroline! These are all fantastic ways to enjoy a good book while making eco-friendly choices. I love swapping books with friends and family, visiting the library, little library, and checking out second hand stores. It’s a great way to save money and be sustainable. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you 🙂 x
Great ideas! I love those little tables in shops where you can take a second-hand book for a small donation. I went on holiday once and they had a book swap, which I thought was a great idea as when you’ve finished reading your book by the pool, just swap it for another!
That sounds ideal! x
I adore this post! Libraries are so underrated but ever since getting an e-reader, it made borrowing from the library much easier than ever before and I’ve essentially stopped buying new books. When I do, it’s usually second hand and then I donate them as well.
I agree! x
I rarely buy books. I love going to the library and browsing the books. There are a couple of Little Free Libraries in our neighbourhood and I’ve found severaal great books there. When I’m travelling, I buy e-books for my iPad to cut down on the number of things I need to carry.
I do the same for my iPad, very jealous of the Little Free Libraries near you!
Great ideas! I always try to support my local library in person or through an app called Libby, which seems similar to Borrow Box that you mentioned. I also love finding great second hand books too! Thanks for shaking this!
melissakacar.com
Oh yes, my library used to use Libby x
These are great ideas! We have a book swap at our local coffee shop.
Love that! x
These are some great eco friendly tips. I always buy independent or directly from the author which helps a lot.
Yeah! x
I love reading books. Thanks for sharing these wonderful tips. I usually get mine second hand and donate them back to the public library.
Thank you, love that x
I love Little Free Libraries! I almost always have a bag or box of books in my car to drop off at any I see. Definitely need to sneak in more trips to the library, though 🙂
I love that!