Books per se are not that green. They use lots of resources in their manufacture, are printed in one place and have to be carted all over the place and are heavy. Most are only read once and then sit in a bookshelf... OK, bookshelves are a way of sequestering carbon, but really we should share our books and use libraries more... but I am going to suggest you go and buy a good book. (And when you've read it, lend it to friends!)
I am very fond of Kate Lock, whom I first came accross as a columnist in the York Press, and soon met as she was having some problems with her compost and she asked a volunteer York Rotter to come and sort it out. It turned out that she was on some kind of mission to be greener and that my assisting her meant that I would appear in the book she was crafting. That book is now on sale and I have spent a good few hours of my holiday immersed in it.. 'Confessions of an Eco-Shopper, the true story of one woman's mission to go green' (ISBN 978 0340 954676, Hodder & Stoughton 2008) is an excellent read, with everyday challenges such as having a veggie-box delivery and wondering what to do with unknown veg, growing her own herbs and salads, ethical fish suppers, dispensing with the bleach and using vinegar instead, experimenting with 'green and reusable' sanitary protection, finding out if fair-trade tastes as good as 'ordinary' teas and coffees. Kate put a lot of effort into researching the book, trialling all-sorts of products and lifestyle changes. Of course my favourite 'Isle' (its arranged like a supermarket!) is the one on rubbish and recycling, where we follow her path from non-composter to happy and successful rotter, even trying out a wormery and 'Bokashi' to recycle her cooked and meaty foodstuff wastes.
I read the book cover to cover, and learned a lot. It is really good to read a female approach to living a greener life... so many commentators are male, and they tend not to write about clothes, cosmetics or sanitary-wear. So I am going to shamelessly plunder some of these topics for future blog posts. Although Kate thanks me for helping her with her composting, I'm sure she will see this as a 'fair swap'!
