Libraries are Green and Free Too!

Condo Blues — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:24:20 -0500

Don’t forget your public library as a green source for books, CDs, and DVDs! When I see a book I want to read, I check if my library has it first, most times they do. Then I reserve the book through my library’s Website and have then send it to the branch that is biking distance (3 miles) from my house. I get a call on my cell when the book is ready and waiting for me at the library.

This methods works great to keep the book overpopulation from taking over my house (we are big book lovers.) I get to test run the book, because sometimes they aren’t all keepers. If I decide that I do want to have the book for reference I can always buy it later or, even better, ask for it as a birthday/Christmas gift. If I find that there are only a things I want to refer to in the book for personal use (so not to potentially violate copyright issues), I scan the page of the book and save it as a .pdf on my computer, which I can always delete later if I ever decide that I don’t need it.

Added bonuses:

I actually read the book. The due date discourages me from shelving the book and forgetting about it after I’ve brought it home.
Riding my bike to and from the library is a clean, green form of transportation and exercise.
I try more books out because using the library is free!

Why don't decorating and DIY projects always work out like they do on TV? Condo Blues http://condo-blues.blogspot.com/

Very Helpful!

krissy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:44:11 -0500

What a great post, Thank you! I have used Craigslist before, but was not aware of some of these other outlets to swap books, tools, games and dvd's. I will check them out!

Krissy

http://krissy-mylittleworld.blogspot.com/

Go Green to $ave Green: How books, tools, furniture and more can cost less, even be free

greenlagirl — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:55:15 -0500

Back when I briefly worked at a bookstore, the manager once told me that during economic downturns, books still sell nicely. According to him, hard times make people look for brief respites from their money woes -- thus making them spend money on relatively affordable entertainment purchases, like books, DVDs, and CDs.

I haven't found any independent economic studies backing up said managers' assertions, but what I do know is this: There's no reason to pay full price for most books, DVDs, and CDs -- or really, most things. Here's a list of webby ways to get the stuff you want cheaply, organized from v. free to less free:

1. Freecycle and Craigslist. I've already sung the praises of Freecycle here -- and I can tell you I furnished most of my apartment v. cheaply via Craigslist.

If you live in a larger metropolitan area, the Craigslist listings are so huge that you can actually go shopping for v. specific items from specific brands on the cheap! My friend Summer had her eye on a certain IKEA wardrobe for storing the eco-fashions for her green online boutique, BTC Elements -- and found it on Craigslist for half price, basically saving herself half a grand.

Craigslist also has a free section that's fun to browse -- and very useful for getting rid of stuff you no longer want. David of The Good Human, for example, got rid of a whole lot of CDs and DVDs via Craigslist and Freecycle.

2. BookMooch. Exchange your used books for free (except for shipping costs). BookMooch uses a points system that basically lets you get a free book for every book you give away. In short, you're really expanding your library!

3. Swaptree. Trade or recycle your books, DVDs, CDs, and video games with other users -- free except for shipping. Just list the stuff you want to swap, and the site will use "two and three way trade algorithms" to instantly find all the people who want what you have, and have what you want. Shipping's made easy because Swaptree'll give you a postage label that can be printed from the computer, so you can avoid a trip to the post office. This YouTube video should give you a more detailed idea of what Swaptree has to offer.

4. Neighborrow. Borrow or lend tools and supplies to and from neighbors. Neighborrow's an interesting site that, sadly, hasn't attracted enough followers to make it v. useful yet. But perhaps BlogHer readers can breathe some life into this site! If you've ever needed some rather pricey piece of equipment -- say, an electric drill -- but couldn't justify buying it for a one-time project, Neighborrow's for you. In addition to borrowing / lending, Neighborrow lets you arrange permanent trades or giveaways for stuff you no longer need.

5. Half.com and Ebay. Some of the stuff on these sites are new, but you can find many pre-loved items at v. cheap prices on both these popular sites.

6. Throwplace. Get tax deductions by giving the stuff you don't want to charities. Throwplace'll let you list your unwanted stuff for charities in need to browse through and request. You will need to arrange for pickup or shipping -- but shipping's tax deductible too. The site also has sections for businesses and individuals, if you're just looking to unload the stuff and don't really care about the deductions.

Yep, there are other ways to get pre-loved stuff on the cheap. PennySaver and local newspaper / magazine classifieds are good options, as are libraries, used book stores, Blockbusters' used DVD section, swap meets, etc. However, I'm sticking to the more webby stuff here to get you started from the comfort of your own keyboard.

Back to the book thing: Here's a full list on how to green your reading practices. Got a good pre-loved eco-find story? Share it in the comments --
__

BlogHer Contributing Editor Siel also blogs at greenLAgirl.com.

BlogHer - Go Green to $ave Green: How books, tools, furniture and more can cost less, even be free - Comments

Libraries are Green and Free Too!

Very Helpful!

Go Green to $ave Green: How books, tools, furniture and more can cost less, even be free