Do-Lit-Yourself: Eco-tips for Reading Green

Yesterday was World Environment Day! As a reader, how do you keep up that earth-saving momentum? When trying to 3Rs any area of your life, first think about how that activity consumes resources. The good news? Reading is a pretty low-environmental-impact activity. Check out our tips on how to make it even lower.

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Do-Lit-Yourself is a column for book lovers with a crafty streak. This pinteresting monthly is written by LPG Education and Engagement manager Lauren Perruzza.Here are four simple switches you can make to lessen your impact on the environment while you read.* * *1. Night-readers, replace your incandescent bulbs with high-efficiency LEDs. They’re not the early-days “am I dead?” white of the past, but come in a full suite of colours that mirror incandescents of old. They save nearly 75 percent on energy needed, and last for 25,000 hours, so you can read well into the night (for many, many years). 2. Make a whole pot of tea instead of just a cup. You know you’re not going to drink just one, and a teapot + cozy situation will keep you from having to boil more water in your electric kettle or on the stove (and if you have gas, same difference [and if you have a wood-burning oven, then why are you on the internet, Little House on the Prairie]). 3. A lot of publishers print on recycled or partially-recycled paper (you can usually check on the copyright page of a book to see what percentage). If you’re a print reader, maybe give e-reading a try for a book you know you won’t keep? If you really can’t bear to read from a screen, borrow the book from the library, or buy a print copy with a friend in mind to pass the book along to once you’re done. 4. If it’s available in your area, consider commuting by public transit instead of driving! Yours truly reads a minimum of a book a week on transit alone.* * *See, it’s easy! To get even more inspired, check out our Environmental Conservation section. And for more do-lit-yourself, click here