Five Sustainable Ways to Dispose of Unwanted Books
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At some point in all of our lives we have gained a very large stack of books, be that on purpose or sheer accident. Books are amazing but as we grow older, as we finish novels, or as we move apartments, some books aren’t destined to carry on with us. Disposing of unwanted books can be challenging, especially so if you’d like to do so in a sustainable way. So today we will dive into five sustainable ways to dispose of unwanted books.
1. Donate to a Local Library or Little Library
A great way to dispose of unwanted books sustainably is to donate them to your local library or to a neighborhood little library. Your local library will likely have their own set of rules and requirements for book donations so be sure to visit their website or give them a call before bringing all your books to them. Local libraries usually can take books in good condition and will be able to stock their shelves with them or sell them in their book sales.
In a similar vein, many neighborhoods have recently seen a surge in Little Libraries, these tend to be small outdoor cubbies that house books. By bringing your unwanted books to these little libraries you are offering them to your local community to take free of charge. This can be especially beneficial if you have children's books that you are disposing of.
By taking your unwanted books and donating them to a local library or little library, you are helping keep those books out of the landfill, giving them a new life, and supporting your local community.
2. Donate to a Nonprofit Organization
Another great way to dispose of unwanted books sustainably is to donate them to a non-profit organization. There are many different types of nonprofit organizations that may take your unwanted books. These include schools, shelters, and literacy programs.
If you live in the state of Maryland there is the Maryland Book Bank which is a nonprofit that provides free books to children and teachers in need. They accept a wide variety of books which they are then able to do amazing work with. I would strongly recommend you look into them! If you live outside of Maryland there may be other book bank type organizations in your local area as well.
By donating your books to a nonprofit organization, you're able to give your books a new purpose, provide someone else with a valuable resource, and reduce the amount of waste headed to landfills.
3. Host a Book Swap
A book swap can be a fun and easy way to sustainably dispose of your unwanted book. Invite your friends, family, and local community to bring their unwanted books to your swap, and encourage everyone to take home a few new books. This is a great way to reduce waste and share with your community. For a virtual option to this there are lots of Buy Nothing Groups out there where giving your books away may work out well.
4. Recycle or Upcycle Your Books
If you have books that are damaged or in poor condition, you can recycle them or even upcycle them. Many places across the country have recycling programs that accept books. Just be sure to look into your specific recycling program to ensure this rings true for you. By recycling your books, you're keeping them out of the landfill and hopefully one day they will be reused to make something new.
An alternative to recycling your unwanted books would be to upcycle them. There are all sorts of fun arts and craft projects out there using old books. The sheer amount of pinterest pins on how to turn pages of books into decorations is stunning. So before tossing your unwanted books in the recycling, take a scroll in Pinterest, see if anything peaks your interest, and try your hand at crafting. If it all goes awry you can always resort to recycling them anyways.
By recycling and upcycling your unwanted books you are making an effort to be sustainable and possibly also crafty.
5. Sell or Trade-In Your Books
If your unwanted books are in really good condition, you can consider trying to sell or trade them in for credit at local bookstores or online retailers. This is especially true if you have newer textbooks or extremely popular books. Selling or trading in your unwanted books is a great way to sustainably dispose of them while also having the ability to earn a little money or credit.
All in all, finding a sustainable way to dispose of unwanted books that works for you and your life is what’s going to work best. Maybe donating your books to a local library or nonprofit works best for you or maybe upcycling is more your style. Whichever it may be, remember you can make a positive impact even with something as small as your unwanted books.
Let us know which of these five sustainable ways to dispose of unwanted books you’ve tried! Did we miss some great ideas? Share with us in the comments!
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