Little Free Libraries

Now that summer is here, I’ve noticed more and more people have put their Little Free Libraries up in their yards. Seeing them as I walk around my neighborhood always puts a smile on my face because they combine three of my favorite things: books, reuse, and community-building.

Little Free Libraries are small structures that house free books. Passers-by are able to take books home with them to enjoy and leave their own books in the library as well. The libraries themselves can take any form, but they are usually wooden and a little bit bigger than a large microwave. Many are located outside, but I’ve also seen plenty indoors, including some on university campuses and the one pictured above at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. Any individual or business can start a Little Free Library; all they need is a structure and some gently used books to share. We are lucky to have many here in Minnesota, probably due to our close proximity to the invention of the Little Free Library in Hudson, Wisconsin. Despite having started only 5 years ago, Little Free Libraries can now be found across the entire country and scattered across the globe as well.

By providing an easy way for people to reuse books they no longer want and get new-to-them books they haven’t yet read, Little Free Libraries offer a wonderfully green reuse system. In addition to sharing books, some people have begun sharing other items in their libraries, like seeds and recipes. The libraries can foment community connections, since people often stop and chat with their neighbors when picking up and dropping of books, and many residents feel a justifiable sense of pride in their local Little Free Library, especially if it is uniquely designed or creatively decorated.

To learn more about Little Free Libraries, you can visit their website at http://littlefreelibrary.org/. The site has a wealth of interesting information and resources, including premade libraries for purchase and a map of registered Little Free Libraries across the world; the map is by no means comprehensive because many people have not yet officially registered their library. So if you don’t see a Little Free Library in your neighborhood on the map, take a walk around and see if there is one that hasn’t yet been registered. Or, start your own!

Green Tips

Host an Art Night

Looking for a new way to connect with your neighbors, get free life advice, and spark your creative juices? Consider hosting an art night at your house, complete with paints, modeling clay, colored pencils and art smocks. Get messy, be creative, and let the conversation flow. For inspiration and resources, check out this article.

Purchase Sustainable Lumber and Wood Products

Minnesota’s forests are vital to the state economy and environment. The Minnesota wood products industry provides employment to rural communities and serves markets throughout the world. As global trade in forest products grows, forest certification has emerged as a mechanism for consumers to identify wood products produced from sustainably managed forests. Nearly 50 different companies in Minnesota manufacture and market certified products. Retailers and distributors sell a variety of lumber, paneling, and decking products. Numerous local paper and printing companies also offer certified products.

More info here!

Start a Neighborhood Eco-Parent Group

We all want to do the best for our children, especially when it comes to protecting their health and the environment in which they live. Sometimes, knowing the most effective ways to do this can be confusing and challenging, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Consider starting an eco-parent group in your neighborhood to learn alongside other parents. This article offers some tips.

Buy Green Office Supplies

“Green” doesn’t necessarily mean “good” when it comes to so-called green office supplies. To help your office green up, consider durability, natural resource and energy use, recycled content and recyclability, toxicity, biodegradability and packaging before you purchase supplies. You can also set up a reuse system for the supplies you already have. For more tips on green office products, check out this article.

Reduce Paper Waste at the Office

Office paper is highly recyclable, but reducing or preventing paper waste is even more cost effective than recycling. Some ideas for reducing office paper waste:

Double-sided copying and printing.
Reusing paper. Keep a collection box by the copy machine for bad copies so the second side can be reused.
Make use of electronic communication.
Use smaller cover sheets or eliminate the cover sheet all together.
Reuse items from old packaging.
Reuse materials in-house, through clients, customers and consumers.
Consider buying the most environmentally-friendly paper (100% post-consumer recycled) to stock in your printers, copiers and fax machines.

Check out our full article Green Your Office for more great ideas.

Buy Reusable for Parties, Picnics & Holidays

Purchase durable, long lasting reusable items for serving and eating food such as silverware, glasses, bowls, mugs, plates, and cloth napkins. When you choose reusable over disposable, even if it costs more up front, it will save money and be less wasteful. Think about the amount of trash you can keep out of the landfill or the incinerator by choosing to reuse!

Check out our article on How to Plan a Low Waste Event for more ideas!

Lead Your Community to Sustainability

People in small towns, suburban communities, and urban neighborhoods all over Minnesota and western Wisconsin are banding together to make their communities more livable and sustainable. Are you ready to make sustainable changes in your community? This article offers many tips for getting started, including learning more about sustainability plus how to create an action plan for your city.

Green Your Child’s Lunch

Home-packed lunches can be fun, healthy, and green, with very little time or money required. A child’s lunch, including organic fruit, requires less than five minutes on average to prepare and could cost as little as $1.00 per day-compared to over $2.25 for school lunch.

Try these suggestions to green your packed lunches, whether for children, adults, or picnics!

Plant a Rain Garden

Many people do not realize that rain carries pollutants from our houses, yards, streets, sidewalks and parking lots to the nearest storm drain, leading directly to local lakes, streams and rivers. Rain gardens are designed to have a center depression to help rainwater seep into the soil. This infiltration helps recharge groundwater and reduces polluted runoff.

Check out our article on rain gardens to learn more.

Take the Energy Challenge

The fastest, cheapest, easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is through energy efficiency and conservation. Plus, you’ll save yourself money in the process! Need a little boost to get started? Join the Minnesota Energy Challenge and learn from thousands of Minnesotans who have pledged to reduce their energy use—and are finding fun, creative ways to do it. Read more about the Challenge here.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

May 13, 2016June 2, 2014

By Eva Lewandowski

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