Buy lightly used books from your library

By Sarah Turner, Green Change

The best way to reduce waste is not to acquire new stuff. 

A regenerative lifestyle includes reimagining the lifecycle of your stuff. The library is a great resource to borrow, buy, or donate used books and keep them in circulation rather than in the dump. Inspire your kids to “adopt” used books and other items. This YouTube video about reusing can help kids learn ways they can help the planet. They’ll want to go to the library, not the mall! 

Check your local library for fun activities, educational programs, and used book sales. If you live in the Bay Area, Friends of the Mill Valley Library sells good-condition copies of donated books, puzzles, and other items online. You can browse their website, select your items to purchase, use PayPal or credit card to complete the transaction, and be notified when to pick up your items at the library. Money goes to support programs at the library.  A double whammy benefit!  The gift that keeps giving. 

Check out other groups that repurpose goods: Buy Nothing Project, Facebook Marketplace, and Nextdoor. Or see how easy it is to rethink throw-away culture by checking out Zero Waste Chef Anne-Marie Bonneau’s handy guide to Buy Less Stuff.

Photo credit: Alan Cleaver, Flickr