Welcome!

Welcome to Alliance Library System’s Green Blog!  This blog is designed to help libraries of all sizes and types become more environmentally friendly. Green is gaining in popularity and it is here to stay! This blog will focus on Environmental Organizations & Initiatives, Financial Resources (Grants, Funding, and Discounts), Green Buildings, and Programming Ideas.  You will find two tabs at the top of this blog with Additional Resources and Downloadables.  Under the Additional Resources tab, you will find lists of useful links on each topic. These links may have already been featured in a blog post or may be highlighted in an upcoming post.  Under the Downloadables tab, you will find all kinds of documents ready to be downloaded and used as you see fit. These documents include booklists, brochures, sample proposals, and more.  If there is a topic that you would like to see covered, a question you would like answered, or any suggestion that you might have to improve this resource, drop me a line and let me know!  Little changes add up, and together, we can all make a difference!

Trash to Treasure: Turn Junk Mail into Paper

If you are looking for a fun activity for patrons of all ages, you might want to try making paper from junk mail or bills.  It requires very little equipment, and The Daily Green.com has step by step instructions and an easy to follow video.  It is not going to make paper that you will want to use everyday, but it will make pretty paper that you can use for note cards or gifts and it will turn your trash into a treasure!   If you are looking for an artistic, creative way to be a little greener, give it a try!

Here is what you’ll need:

Frame (or old window screen)

Screen (silk screen fabric, old stockings or window screen)

Duct tape or staple gun

Plastic bin or cookie sheet (larger than the screen and deep enough to hold enough water to cover screen with water)

Blender (food processor or a handheld blender)

Paper (junk mail, bills, old catalogs, memos from the boss, magazines etc…)

Sponge

Old rags or a very absorbent towel

Draining board (or something to lay wet screen on)

For the instructional video, step by step instructions, or toread more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/how-to-make-paper-47102101?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr#ixzz0WTdc8cMQ

Green Library Resources

As green becomes more mainstream, there are more and more resources for green libraries.  I would like to take the opportunity to list a few other green library blogs and groups.   I am sure there are more out there, so please feel free to leave a comment,  and I be happy to post any additional resources.

The Green Library – this blog is devoted to documenting significant activities, events, literature, and projects that focus on ” … increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal” of and by libraries.

Going Green @ Your Library - this blog lists ideas, practices, tools, and techniques to help libraries become more environmentally friendly, save money, and possibly even raise money for their library in the process.So here’s to a greener library and a sustainable future for all.

OU Libraries are Going for the Green – this blog is written by Alden Library staff interested in “greening” OU Libraries and helping the Libraries do its part to support the efforts of Ohio University’s Office of Sustainability.

The Green Librarian – Earth and Library Advocacy from Bozeman Montana.

The Green Library Global Facebook Group is  devoted to discussion of significant activities, events, literature, and projects that focus on ” … increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal” of and by libraries.

Recycling for Beginners

Most people would agree that they should recycle, but how many people actually do?  Some estimates indicate that less than 70% of the United States population recycles.  When we think about recycling, the first thing that comes to mind is keeping waste out of our landfills.

There are many other reasons to recycle including:

• Saving natural resources and reducing the need to mine new raw materials.
• Saving energy–the energy saved by recycling one can could power a tv for three hours.
• Reducing air pollution–less fuel is used to produce products from recycled materials, resulting in better air quality.
• Saving money–containers made of recycled materials cost less than packaging made of all new materials, cutting the cost of retail goods.

If the thought of separating paper and plastic, or rinsing out, and removing labels, from glass bottles sounds like too much work or if your community doesn’t have a recycling program, you can start small with the following ideas:

• Many small, home-based businesses that do a lot of packing and shipping (such as e-bay sellers) will take your packing materials and newspapers.  Place an add on Craigslist or Freecycle and arrange for weekly or monthly pickup.
• Replace the single use alkaline batteries you currently use with environmentally friendly, rechargeable batteries that last longer and can be used over and over.  You will save a substantial amount of money and reduce excess waste in our landfills.
• Wash out and re-use plastic storage bags.  You will not only save money but you save the earth as well.  Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose in a landfill.
• Buy certified organic products in recyclable containers. Certified organic products are biodegradable and don’t contain toxic synthetic chemicals which harm our planet and wildlife when they are washed down the drain and into our rivers and streams.
• Buy concentrated products.  On average, 16% of the money spend on a product pays for the cost of packaging.  Buying concentrated products prevents the purchase of unnecessary packaging and reduces waste.

You don’t have to go out of your way or inconvenience yourself to recycle.  Many actions will benefit both your wallet and the planet.  If everyone made little changes, they would all add up!  Even the smallest actions have a significant impact on the planet.

Cold Weather Energy Saving Tips

As colder weather and the holiday season approaches, heating costs can take a big chunk out of your monthly budget.   Some estimates say that it will cost twice as much to heat your home or building as it did just a few years ago.  There are many ways to reduce energy consumption in the winter.  The following tips involve little or no cost, and I think libraries and patrons will find them useful.

• Do your own energy audit of your building, identifying areas where heated air is leaking out. Check around doors, windows, and other areas that may feel drafty. Use caulk, weather stripping, door sweeps, plastic, and other appropriate means to close off these leaks. If your building  is poorly insulated, adding additional insulation will pay for itself in reduced heating costs.
• Make the most of Mother Nature. Open blinds and curtains on the south side of the building when the sun is shining and close them as soon as the sun goes down to retain the solar heat. Close curtains on the north side of the building. Curtains made from heavy fabric with lots of folds can prevent cold air from seeping in and warm air from seeping out, which reduces your heating costs.  Up to 15% of your heat can escape through unprotected windows, but the solar heat gain from the sun during the day can conserve valuable energy.
• Install a programmable thermostat and use it. Set it to lower the temperature at night and whenever the building is unoccupied. Lowering your thermostat by 10 degrees at night can reduce your heating bill by 10 to 20 percent.   Lower the temperature during the day by a few degrees.  Lowering the thermostat by just one degree can save up to 3% in heating costs.
• Perform regular maintenance on your furnace, heat pump, or other heating equipment to keep it in top operating condition.  Dirty filters reduce airflow, making your equipment work harder and use more energy.  Replace your furnace filter monthly unless it is a high efficiency filter designed to last several months.  Tune your unit regularly. Poorly tuned unts are inefficient and use more fuel.   An annual maintenance agreement might be worth exploring to ensure that your equipment is properly maintained and will last as long as possible.

These are just some quick and easy ways to get you started thinking about energy conservation in the winter months.  If you have an idea, I encourage you to comment and share.  I hope to be able to feature more tips that will save you money, keep you comfortable, and help the environment this holiday season.

Library Journal Green Booklist

Library Journal has a list of several books for Greening Our Businesses that might be of interest to patrons.  These titles include:

Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose—Doing Business by Respecting the Earth. by Anderson, Ray C. with Robin White.  ISBN 978-0-312-54349-5.

The Truth About Green Business. by Gil Friend.  ISBN 978-0-7897-3940-7.

Greening Your Small Business: How To Improve Your Bottom Line, Grow Your Brand, Satisfy Your Customers—and Save the Planet. by Jennifer Kaplan. ISBN 978-0-7352-0446-1.

Better Green Business: Strategy, Methods, and Solutions for Environmental Stewardship.by Eric Olson. ISBN 978-0-13-701017-2.

Green Recovery: Get Lean, Get Smart, and Emerge from the Downturn on Top. by Andrew S. Winston. ISBN 978-1-4221-6654-3.

For more information on any of these titles, see the article on Library Journal.com.

Watt Solutions Kits

If any of our member libraries are interested in WATT Solutions kits, we have plenty and are happy to send them out.  WATT Solutions Kits contain a Kill A Watt EZ power meter that you may loan out to your patrons.  WATT Solutions is part of the Ameren Illinois Utilities Act On Energy Initiative (ActOnEnergy.com), which is helping Ameren Illinois Utilities residential and business customers save money by using energy more efficiently.  The Kill a Watt EZ power meter is a measuring device to show you how much it costs to operate electrical appliances and devices.  You can learn how much it costs to leave appliances and devices on, such as computers, printers and modems.  All you have to do is plug an appliance or device into the Watt Reader and it will show you the electric usage by the kilowatt-hour (kWh).    It is estimated that energy vampires (devices and appliances that continue to use electricity even when they are turned off) cost American households $100 or more a year.  These “phantom loads” can be eliminated by unplugging devices or using on/off powerstrips.  Help your patrons save money and energy!  If your library would like one of these devices, please feel free to contact me via email at sbaschieri@alliancelibrarysystem.com.  Even if your library already has one and you would like more, please let me know and we will get them out to you!

Eco Friendly Labels?

Have you ever wondered what an environmental label or certification on a product really  means?  Maybe you purchase products that are labeled environmentally friendly in order to do your part to benefit the environment, but never really questioned their claims.  I know I didn’t until I found the Consumer Reports Eco Labels Center.  This resource allows you to search by label, product category, or certification to see what the labels on products really mean including which claims you can trust and which ones you cannot.   I was surprised to learn that the label “100% vegan” has very little meaning because the label is not verified or consistent and the standards or any information about the organization are not available to the  public.   You will also find a section on What Makes a Good Eco Label and an Eco Labels Glossary.  Some other label facts that might surprise you:

• The “free-range” label doesn’t necessarily mean the animals went outdoors.
• “Fair Trade Certified” means more than paying producers a fair wage.
• Meat labeled as “natural” can contain artificial ingredients.

I encourage you to check out this great resource.  Often, products with environmentally friendly labels and certifications cost a little more, so you want to make sure that the product you are purchasing lives up to its claims. Even if it doesn’t cost more,  would you want to support a company that is putting a meaningless label on its products to appeal to environmentally responsible consumers?  At the very least, you’ll be better informed and able to purchase products based on facts and what is important to you!

The Art of Fundraising and Grant Writing

Although there are many easy, inexpensive ways to go green, some projects require a large, upfront investment, which will be offset by savings observed over many years.  Most libraries cannot afford these initial costs, so they are reluctant to take on such projects.  There are funding opportunities available in the form of grants and incentives, however, with the current economic situation, fundraising and grant writing are becoming more and more competitive.  Alliance Library System and Learning Times are hosting and SirsiDynix are sponsoring “The Art of Grant Writing and Fundraising” on Thursday November 19th.   The online conference will begin at 10am Central time (11am Eastern) and wrap up around 4:30pm Central (5:30pm Eastern).  The conference will offer a number of programs for beginners through intermediate and advanced levels of all aspects of grant writing and fundraising.  For more information including program highlights, keynote speakers, and registration information, please see the press release on the Alliance website or The Learning Times website or the conference website.

Global Footprint Calculator

A few weeks ago, I posted a link to the Center for Sustainable Economy’s Ecological Footprint Calculator.  I recently came across another similar site where you can calculate your Earth Day Footprint.   The Global Footprint Network was established in 2003 to enable a sustainable future where everyone is able to live a satisfying life while still living within the means of our planet.  This calculator is a lot of fun–you even get to create your own avatar!  Once you are finished, you can explore different “What if…” scenarios to see how you could reduce your global footprint.  You can also retake parts of the quiz to see how changes in your behavior will affect the environment.    The quiz measures how much of the bilogical capacity of the planet is demanded by a given human activity or population.  It is not meant to alarm anyone and it doesn’t mean we’re doomed.   It does suggest that we need to make some changes if we want a sustainable future.  It is a great way to begin thinking about our impact on the environment.

100 Ways to Save the Environment

The Sustainable Environment for Quality of Life (SEQL) has a wonderful list of 100 Ways to Save the Environment.  The list includes things that you can do in your home to reduce toxicity and conserve energy (many of these tips apply to the office as well), tips for your yard, tips for your office, ways to protect air and water, ways to conserve water, and how to produce less trash.   You may also download a printable PDF of this list (make sure you print it on both sides).   You will also find many other useful resources on their homepage including: Action Plans, Your Role: What’s in it for You?, Games, Tools and Calculators, and more.  There are also 10 Things Kids Can Do because it is never too early to start thinking about the environment.  The items on the children’s list as well as the 100 Ways to Save the Environment are easy to do and a great way to start making a difference.  Every little change adds up!