When Earth Day Meets World Book Day

I just realized that Earth Day (April 22) and World Book Day (April 23) sit right next to each other. Two important celebrations, two causes that are close to my heart and that are so intertwined.

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Reading and sharing used books show a love for books and a love for the earth

I love the 2014 Earth Day patches from Powell’s Books 🙂 They talk about the love of used books. Admittedly, I like buying used books because they are a great bargain. But buying, selling and giving used books isn’t just about bargains and deals. They are about giving these books longer lives. When these books get passed on and on, it means less of the earth’s resources are needed to produce more books. It also makes books more affordable, which helps enable more people to read.

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Ebooks make it easy and practical to be an eco-friendly reader

I became a Kindle convert a few years ago (but not exclusively, I still buy paper books once in a while). I used to say that I would always prefer the feel, the smell, the art, the experience of a real paper book. Then I saw how easy it was for my husband to get books into his iPad and how convenient it was for him to read when traveling. Now, with my small Kindle Touch, containing several ebooks and easily fitting into my handbag, I would always have a book with me whether I’m on a flight, a long queue or at my daughter’s football training.

Buying ebooks means I don’t need to travel to the store (and use up fuel) to buy my books. I don’t need to have hard-to-find books shipped from one country to another if they are not available locally.

Earth Day and World Book Day are great occasions to commemorate, but they are only reminders. Any day and every day of the year is a perfect day to be kind to the earth and to read a good book.

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