My Green Resolution for 2009 - Present Tense

Today we visit a great independent bookstore in our search for green resolutions and greetings for 2009. We're happy to have with us Erica Caldwell, the owner of Present Tense.

Located in Batavia, NY, halfway between the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, Present Tense is a locally-owned independent bookstore that serves as a center for reading, writing, and the arts in Western New York. Present Tense is also participating in Eco-Libris' bookstores program, where customers at the store can plant a tree for every book they buy there and receive our sticker at the counter!

Hello Erica. What is your green resolution for 2009?
Our green resolution for 2009 is to keep looking for ways to reduce our business's impact on the environment. We carry a lot of local products, which reduces transportation needs. We also carry several lines of eco-friendly products, which we hope to expand this year.

We've made other changes too, like using only biodegradable, compostable beverage cups during store events, giving our paper (and we generally have lots of it!) to the local school to recycle as part of their fundraising program, and switching our cleaning products to environmentally friendly brands. This year, we hope to continue these small changes and if we are thinking green, I'm sure we'll find more areas were we can implement eco-friendly practices into our business.

This year, Present Tense is co-sponsoring the second annual Earth Day Art Contest, which encourages people of all ages in our community to write, draw, sculpt, knit, or otherwise craft a piece of art that reflects the spirit of Earth Day. We have prize categories for different types of media, ages, and use of recycled materials in the artwork. Last year we had over 100 entries in our first year of holding the contest, and we are looking forward to this year's entries as well!

Thanks Erica!

For more information on Present Tense please visit their website at www.presenttensebooks.com. You're also welcome to read the interview I made with her last September.

So far on "My Green Resolution for 2009":

Bart Babek of AboutMyPlanet.com

Angela Wieck of EcoBrain

Author Amy Guth of the Pilcrow Lit Fest and So New Publishing

Dr. Anne Hallum of the International Alliance for Reforestation (AIR)

Surendra James Conti of East West Bookstore

Jennifer Taylor of GreetQ

Bill Roth, author of "On Empty (Out of Time)"

Vonda Schaefer of Valley Books

Madeline Kaplan, author of "Planet Earth Gets Well"

Chris Flynn of Torpedo

Edain Duguay of Wyrdwood Publications

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris
www.ecolibris.net