Even though e-readers are gaining in popularity, there are some people who still enjoy reading traditional books. The only issue here is that it takes a lot to produce paper books. Many people opt to borrowing books and there are websites that will let you do this. We’re going to look at a few reasons why used books are good for the planet.
Less Trees Destroyed
As we know, books are made from trees and trees are essential to the environment. One tree will usually make around 60 books.This might seem like a lot, but so many books are being produced that millions of trees are cut down every year. Trees are one of the most important parts of the planet and they aid in many things. Without trees, the environment is going to keep getting worse and there will eventually be nothing left. If this happens, it’s going to end up being extremely hard for humans to continue living and we definitely don’t want that. Some people aren’t really sure what trees do and just consider them another plant. Listed below are some of the things that trees do.
- The canopies help filter out dust and pollen.
- Parts of various trees can be used for medicinal needs
- They absorb carbon dioxide.
- They help reduce high winds.
- They help keep it cool by giving shade.
- They help reduce flooding by absorbing water.
- They give oxygen.
Less Greenhouse Gases
Another thing book production does is create more greenhouse gases. If you’ve been following the news lately, then you know how serious these gases are. You’ll also know that they are becoming worse every day. Not only do trees release carbon dioxide when they’re cut down, but there is also a lot of carbon dioxide released when books are being produced. If greenhouse gases are continually released, the environment is going to get worse than it is. The biggest issue is that these gases make the planet hotter. This is bad because the warmer the earth gets, the more the earth’s climate is going to change. Changing climates mean that other parts of the environment are going to change too. Even though that’s the biggest thing about these gases, there are some other things that happen with greenhouse gases.
- Pollution from the fossil fuels being burned.
- Warmer climates bring more bugs that might pass diseases.
- Increase of more extreme weather.
- Warmer temperatures could cause the water supply to deplete.
- More intense climate could make it hard for food to grow.
- Ice is melting and causing the sea level to rise, which increases the chances of flooding.
Less Animals Destoryed
We already talked about used books reducing the amount of trees that are destroyed and why they’re so important, but there is something else that needs to be taken into consideration. Trees are homes to many animals and the destruction of them means entire ecosystems are being wiped out. There is a certain way that animals work.For starters, different types of animals need different things to survive. An example would be a polar bear needs to stay in a cold climate and a kangaroo needs to stay in a hotter climate. If the animals don’t have the climates and resources they need, then they won’t survive. This can lead to entire species becoming extinct. The other thing to think about is how the food chain work. An example of that would be: insects eat plants, small animals eat the insects, birds eat the small animals, and bigger animals eat the birds. Even though different areas will have different food chains, they still need to be in place. If these food chains weren’t in place, everything would be thrown off. For instance, there would be an abundance of insects or small animals, which can cause other bad things to start happening.
Less Resources Used
The final reason why used books are good for the planet is because there aren’t as many resources being used on brand new books. It might not seem like there are too many resources or materials used for production, but there are actually quite a few. In addition, most of these materials require several different resources in order to make them. It isn’t one of those things that you just throw together. It takes a lot to put a book together and the amount of resources it needs means that they will deplete much quicker. Quick depletion like this can cause resources to no longer exist. If they don’t exist, there are going to be issues with all other parts of the environment. Some of the things that go into make a book are listed next.
- Wood
- Electricity to run the the machines
- Ink to print the book
- Metal to make the plates
- Glue for the spine
- Fuel to run the machines that cut the wood
As you can see, everything in the environment goes together and depleting resources can and will lead to a chain reaction that could be catastrophic! If you’re wanting to help the planet, then reading used books is a great choice. It might not save it, but it’s a great start. Now that you know some facts about why used books are better for the environment, you can let your friends and family know too!