By Rose Albert
I am a strong proponent of reading broadly and deeply to explore narratives that challenge your own. Although we are all constantly reading (emails, the news, social media, course assignments), I take solace in the pace of reading books. Books allow a level of depth and reflection that is often lost in flurries of articles and social media captions.
I also view reading books as a form of self-care. However, like students, I don’t make the time for it during the school year. This changed when Green Initiative’s blog coordinator Raegan recommended several apps that simplified how I approached reading.
Finding Books
The environmental footprint of eBooks versus print books have previously been examined, and a common consensus is that your local library is the most eco-friendly option (local libraries also provide a variety of critical community services). However, the pandemic has made this challenging.
This brings in Raegan’s first recommendation: Libby. Libby is a free app that allows you to connect with your local library and borrow eBooks. I was apprehensive at first, mainly because I prefer the feel of a physical book. However, the convenience of having a book on my phone soon replaced my social media scrolling, and I found myself reading more than I would have with a paper copy. It also allowed me to read books that I wouldn’t ordinarily seek out on my own. Libby has a user-friendly interface that allows you to place holds, borrow multiple books at a time, and categorize books you may want to read later.
If you’re not able to find a book at your local library, the next option is to find it secondhand. Being from Chattanooga, TN, I’ve always loved going to McKay’s where I’ve found textbooks, records, MCAT books (and when I later dropped pre-med, GRE books), and many of my favorite reads. If you’re ever near one of their locations, it is 100% worth a visit! They have a fast turnover, and I’ve also had positive experiences selling and trading with them.
Some Birmingham options are 2nd and Charles and Reed Books. You can also purchase secondhand through Better World Books and World of Books, both B certified corporations.
Other low impact options are finding local little free libraries or participating in book exchanges with friends or organizations. Audiobooks are also an alternative, but I’m personally not as much a fan.
If you choose to buy new, explore options for supporting independent bookstores. In Birmingham this can include Thank You Bookstore and Church Street Coffee and Books. Bookshop also features a variety of indie bookstores like Elizabeth’s.
A bottom line with these recommendations- try to avoid purchasing from Amazon if at all possible (though sometimes it’s not). Each semester, I run the ISBN for textbooks through Slugbooks to see if there are other options.
Reading Lists
Until recently, I had been using Goodreads to keep track of my reading list and progress, and though it helped keep me organized, I wasn’t pleased that it’s owned by Amazon (see here, here, and here). So, I was thankful for Raegan’s second recommendation: Story Graph.
Story Graph was founded by Nadia Odunayo and provides book recommendations and multiple features to track your reading habits, such as the pace, length, genre, and moods of your books. It was fast and simple to import my library from Goodreads, and the yearly reading goal encourages me to keep up with my list.
A few of my “green” book recommendations are:
A Terrible Thing to Waste by Harriet Washington
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmerer
The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing (in progress)
When I’m feeling a lot of eco-anxiety or grief about the climate crisis, sometimes I need a break from reading about it. Here are a few of my other favorites:
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Educated by Tara Westover
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