Can monetary incentives + local benefits generate a brighter future for independent bookstores?

"Publishing is changing fast, bookselling is changing fast" said Skip Prichard, Ingram CEO last week at BookExpo America in a 'A CEO Panel: The Value of a Book'. No one seem to be immune to these changes, especially not independent bookstores, which might look as the most vulnerable to the changes in the industry.

But are these changes just a risk or also opportunity for independent bookstores and how going green can make a difference for them? The answers are coming right away on our fourth part in a series on the green future of the book industry.

These are not easy times for independent bookstores. Earlier today The Working Waterfront reported that "Maine coast loses two independent bookstores". The article quotes Steve Fischer, executive director for the New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA), who estimated that some 10 percent of association bookstores have closed in the last year.

The article also mentions couple of the challenges independent bookstores are dealing with: "Big-box stores have muscled smaller stores out of the market-share, many publishers are starting to sell their books directly and online booksellers are taking an increasing chunk of the bookselling business." And there's of course also the small but growing market of ebooks.

So it's not surprise that independent bookstores are looking for improved or alternative business models that can help them meet today's and tomorrow's challenges. In BookExpo America, the American Booksellers Association (ABA) held a panel entitled 'The New Reality: Alternative Business Models for Independent Bookstores', which was described as follows:

A business model based on book sales alone is growing more challenging each year, but there are viable alternatives. Hear from a panel of innovative booksellers who are growing their businesses in directions beyond the book. From selling children's clothes and creating stores within stores to offering local delivery, indie booksellers are using their ingenuity and their roots in the community to find new and interesting ways to sustain their book sales.

So, is there an alternative model that is better than the others? is there any secret sauce that can make all the difference? I'm not sure, but I think the best shot for independent bookstores is to make a green bold move, or in other words: Go local. Yes, I know that independent bookstores are already an important part of local communities and economies, and there are many economic, environmental and social advantages to buy at local bookstores from a local perspective point of view.

For example, as IndieBound mentions on their website, if you spend $100 at a local, $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43. But apparently this is not enough to incentivize local residents to shop in their local independent bookstores. The market share of independent bookstores is only somewhere between 5%-15% (depends which data resource you're looking at).

I'm talking about taking a different approach, one that will provide customers with both personal benefits and the feeling that they're contributing to the prosperity of their own community. I'm talking about creating a collaboration with other local businesses that will enable these businesses to provide customers with discounts for each other.

For example, if I buy a book at the local bookstore, I will receive a one dollar discount coupon for every $10 purchase I make. Later on. I can use in other local businesses, like the local coffee shop, the local diner, florist, barber, etc. The same goes when I go to the other local stores and buy there something. This way I get two things: 1. A gift that worth money and will provide me with monetary benefit. 2. An opportunity to support my local community.

Why it is important to combine the two incentives? Because one cannot work without the other. Firstly, people care about the price of books. Just look at the data revealed on a 2010 Survey of Book Buying Behavior that was conducted by Verso Digital for ABA. From the slide below (no. 22 on Verso Digital presentation), you can clearly see how the monetary incentives are significant to buyers at independent bookstores:

But independent bookstores just can't compete solely on pricing. They'll almost never be the cheapest option. If a customer wants the cheapest option, she will just go to bookfinder.com and find one. Independent bookstores need an added value that will bring customers to their place and not to bookfinder.com and this is exactly the 'go local' factor I'm talking about. My belief is that although you can't see this factor on the slide people do care about their communities and understand the importance of living in a strong and thriving community.

At the same time, at a slow economy and with less money affordable to spend, it makes sense that it won't be the first or the second, or even the third factor in their decision making process. Therefore you need to combine the two - monetary incentive + local benefit.

How you do it exactly? Well, there are many platforms that can be used, from establishing a local currency system, such as Ithaca Hours, to collaborations with local business networks, such as one of BALLE's local networks.

I'm sure each bookstore can find the platform that can be the best fit for the local nature of its community. The important thing however is to find the right equilibrium between the two parts of the model to ensure it will have the highest possible beneficial value to local book lovers.

The last part on our series will be focused on authors and will be posted here next week.

Here are the articles we published so far in our series on the green future of the book industry:

Why should the book industry go green?

Can publishers build an effective green brand?

Is there a future for Barnes & Noble and Borders? Is it a green one?

You can find more resources on the future of bookstores on our website at www.ecolibris.net/bookstores_future.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

Green printing tip no. 38: Can Hip-Hop "GO GREEN"?

We are back today with a new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you information on green printing in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today we have a great column written by SpazeCraft, who is a pioneer of the Hip-Hop "education" movement, and is collaborating with Greg on an innovative project that combines the hip-hop tradition with green printing.

Can Hip-Hop "GO GREEN"?

Tip #38

YES, Absolutely!

Hip-Hop music at its core aggregates sounds from many sources to create its unique & ever-permeating music. In essence, it "recycles" sound from both popular & obscure past recordings, bringing new life to the sound bytes in a fresh, new context, composition & form. (it's no wonder it's thrived as a major international art platform through Dance, Music, Rap/Poetry, Visual Arts, Fashion, Philosophy & Education).

So how can the "Hip-Hop" make a difference? The basic steps still apply, don't litter & teach your kids not to, It always starts with the adults in society & educating the community is always a great start.

In the 1970's, Pioneering leaders of the Hip-Hop movement like "Afrika Bambaataa" & "DJ Kool Herc" brought the "GOOD" into the "HOOD", encouraging & inspiring creativity & non-violent expression to get away from the gang influences of the day. Environmental responsibility is an extension of that work. The idea of keeping ones neighbor-hood "clean" leads to keeping ones mind "clean" & works to project this concept further. Hip-hop music from the 1980's-mid' 90's are exemplary of this commitment. Lyrics were fun, educational, full of peace & community spirit, whilst still having the playful competition of skills building show through.

In the 90's, the norm for printed fliers for events were large, over-sized & glossy (& usually with the same exact information on both sides, littering the streets & the clubs). Now event producers are much more aware of their impact, and much promotion is done on the Internet to go viral & cut costs. With the advent of eco-friendly digital printing, we now have better choices for our printing & this also makes us more aware of "who" & "where" we market our performances & products.

As a promoter, If you have all your event information set on the front side of your flyer, why not donate the back of your flyer to a cause you support? or better yet, place information that can educate your reader in the process of promoting your events.

If you set the tone & be the example, others will follow.



Graffiti & Urban artists are always looking for the best ways to publish their works w/ the least impact to the environment.

Designer & hip-hop educator, SpazeCraft of Soh Nup Ink has created an eco-health project called "Hip-Hop(e) for Healing" that educates the masses on Health awareness, Disease prevention & Eco-impact using Hip-Hop Arts as the catalyst.

Soh Nup Ink partnered with Greg Barber to release a series of (business cards sized) eco-health tips that are simple, easy ways to make real impact in your own lives right now. Take these tips with you grocery shopping to make excellent choices in produce selection (especially when "Organic" is not an option).

SpazeCraft is a pioneer of the Hip-Hop "education" movement & is committed to bringing best practices in environmental advocacy & health awareness to the hip-hop community & linking the experts with the masses. for more information on how to become a Responsible Partner in your community: sohnup@gmail.com & for updates in the hip-hop & urban arts community go to: http://blog.sohnup.com


For additional information on eco-friendly paper options, please call Greg Barber at (973) 224-1132, or email greg@gregbarberco.com.

Also, if you have any questions you would like us to address in future tips please email us to info@ecolibris.net .

You can find links to all the tips we published so far on our green printing tips page, which is part of our green printing tools & resources.

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.gregbarberco.com.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing!

Green printing tip no. 12: How to prepare files for your next Green Digital run?

Today we have another new tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today Greg is talking about the preparation process on your side when it comes to digital printing.

How to prepare files for your next Green Digital run?

Tip #12

Digital printing has increased my Green printing sales. Most of our clients are smaller green entrepreneurs, and many are brand new to printing in general. I get a lot of questions from these young entrepreneurs, who want to do the environmentally correct print job, but struggle with preparing the files for us. This is also a good review for the seasoned designer.

When preparing your files, that have solid pantone colors in the graphics, do "not" convert your files to CMYK. Most designers that know digital is printed in CMYK or RGB, think they need to convert the files to what they think we need.

But, we prefer you don't do that. Our pre press equipment will automatically convert your files to what we need. We prefer to see your pantone color(s), and we then have your colors as a guide, as we do the conversion ourselves.

Sometimes, our equipment might convert to RGB, and sometimes your digital pictures will be printed as RGB automatically. You wouldn't be able to foresee that we prefer that option.

We want to make being Green easy for you. We will do the extra work.

The same holds true on printing our 100% PCW or Tree Free business cards. Just give us 1 up files. Don't impose them for us. The imposition is automatic.

The only thing that can hold you up is forgetting to add 1/8" bleed when the ink goes to the edge of the sheet. And, don't put your copy closer than 1/4" from the edge. Remember - digital printing needs a little margin.

If you have any further questions following our tips, or you have a specific question you want us to address, please email us to info@ecolibris.net .

Links to the last three green printing tips:

Green Printing Tip #11 - What are your green options when it comes to promotional items?

Green Printing Tip #10 - Are you buying environmentally sound business cards?

Green Printing Tip #9 - What to look for when selecting a green printing vendor?

You can find links to all the tips we published so far on our green printing tips page, which is part of our green printing tools & resources.

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.ecofriendlyprinter.com.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing

Green printing tip #11: What are your green options when it comes to promotional items?

We're happy to bring you today another tip on our weekly series of green printing tips, where we bring you in collaboration with Greg Barber, an experienced eco-friendly printer.

Today Greg is talking about a part of your business that you can easily green up and benefit both your business and your customers.

What are your green options when it comes to promotional items?

Tip #11

Whether you have a trade show coming or you start thinking about the gifts you want to give your customers this year for the holidays, you might want to consider some eco-friendly options. They're creative, fun, show your customers the environment is important to you and as you'll see it can fit even a very tight budget ,and clients today are searching more than ever for green items.


Here are a couple of examples:

Eco Circles: 3" or 3.375" diameter, coaster looking , NETWORKING CARDS. Hand these out at networking parties, or trade shows, and the response is 10 times greater than traditional business cards. The next day, your circle card stands out from the 50 rectangle business cards.

We offer these at 6 up, on each print run.You can have 1 name or 6 names, or 3 names at 2 up, etc. We offer our entire Tree Free, and 100% PCW covers to you. We can quote 1 color up to 4 color for 1 side or both sides.

The Eco Circles are my most popular item bought as a promotional item. They create the most awareness and they are inexpensive, compared to flyers and brochures.

Calenders: Printed on 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Paper. Many sizes available.

Corn Starch Bracelets: We have bracelets that are made from Corn Starch and there are 3 bracelets to a set. You wear all 3 bracelets. The charm is engraved-Go Green. For 1000 sets, you can have your own company initials engraved. This is an inexpensive gift to give @ $3.75 per set.
The corn starch bracelets, with the Go Green charm are my most popular gift.

Bookmarks: The standard size is 2 x 8 inches, printed on 100% recycled cover. 4 color/2 sides.

Environments Books: "WHO I AM", an interactive coloring book and "HOW THE LAND OF LITTER BECAME THE KINGDOM OF CLEAN", an educational, kids book are fun promotional items. We reserved the inside covers for your company misson statement or ad. These items are sold for under $5.00 each without the ads on the inside covers.

As you can see, price wise, the Eco Circles, coloring books and bracelets are all under $5 when you buy 100 at a time. If you buy over 1000 of them, the price is low.

If you would like to receive quotes on any of these items, please email greg@ecofriendlyprinter.com.

And if you have any further questions following our tips, or you have a specific question you want us to address, please email us to info@ecolibris.net .

Links to the last three green printing tips:

Green Printing Tip #10 - Are you buying environmentally sound business cards?

Green Printing Tip #9 - What to look for when selecting a green printing vendor?

Green Printing Tip #8 - Does it cost more to print my book on recycled paper?

You can find links to all the tips we published so far on our green printing tips page, which is part of our green printing tools & resources.

You can also find further valuable information on Greg Barber Company's website - http://www.ecofriendlyprinter.com.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing

And you can make a difference too! - an interview with Suzanne Corso, author of "Sammy and Sue Go Green Too!"

"Sammy and Sue Go Green Too!" is not only a great children's book, but also a very inspirational one both for kids and their parents.

If you had a chance to read our review of the book you probably know already that a) this book is about a joint mother-daughter journey into the green world and b) Eco-Libris collaborates with the publisher, Beaufort Books, and the author, Suzanne Corso, to encourage the readers of this wonderful book to green up their reading and take a step to support the environment by planting a tree with us for their copy.

The book is already receiving enthusiastic feedback and endorsements. On March it was selected as Book of the Year by NWYA's NY Reads Program, which is a program of New York Women’s Agenda (NWYA), a city-wide book discussion based on the reading of one book selected each year.

We felt that there's much more to explore about this great book and interviewed the author, Suzanne Corso, about her muse, the shared green experiences with her daughter and what children like about this book.

(Suzanne Corso on the left in the launch party of the book with actress Lorraine Bracco. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Corso)

Hi Suzanne. Please tell us what brought you to write this book

My daughter, Samantha. She is 10 years old now and she came to me 2 years ago came to me asking questions about the environment and she also wanted me to write something with her, and the result is the 'Sammy and Sue' series.

What is your favorite part in it?

Experiencing it with my daughter - driving a hybrid car with her, going together to Whole Foods, changing bulbs to energy saving bulbs, etc. I enjoyed explaining to her while we were doing it and she enjoyed learning as kids like to learn through visuals.

You did this green journey together with your daughter. Did it bring you closer? do you recommend other parents to team together with their kids and explore the green world together?

Definitely. It's a win-win and I recommend it to every parent - take your children to journeys, explain to them about recycling, food, cars and so on and you'll find it not only helps to raise the awareness of your kids, but also brings you together.

What are the main changes that you and Samantha made in your daily life following your journey?

There are many changes. A major one is food. We eat better and healthier food. We have this pack where Samantha eats super well on week days and then on the weekends she can enjoy herself with whatever food she wants. Eventually, I find that even of the weekends she wants to eat good food.

How did it influence her?

She is much more aware now to environmental issues. She helps me to explain kids about green issues such as recycling. When it comes from her it definitely helps to reinforce the message.

What is the feedback you're getting?

I get great feedback from both parents and children. I'm a mother, not an expert and parents can easily relate to it and to the idea of taking baby steps to make a difference.

Do you think children are capable of understanding the issues at stake?

Yes. When we have reading events for kids they always have questions and want to learn more. The best way is to use simple terms and relate to daily activities they know such as brushing teeth (keep the faucet closed while we brush), recycling newspapers, and so on. In the book I added a glossary at the end to help simplify difficult terms.

This is your first children's book. How is it in comparison with other writing you did?

I wrote before the book a novel and a screenplay and I can say that once you're a writer, you can write anything. But here I'm also extending my writing into further activities for kids and I founded and serve as the chairwoman of Sammy and Sue Enterprises, LLC, which will design and market a 3-D virtual world filled with games for kids with environmental themes. We plan to offer the first games at the beginning of 2010.

What are the upcoming titles in the series?

The next title is "SAMMY & SUE WITH ELEPHANTS IN AFRICA TOO"!, which takes place in Africa and combines both environmental and animal themes, as it will also a journey to save the wild elephants in Africa. This book will be released in January 2010. The title afterwards will be SAMMY & SUE EATING HEALTHY AND EXERCISING TOO!.

Thanks, Suzanne!

You can read more about the book and the 'Sammy and Sue' series at www.sammyandsue.com

And if you're in New York on Saturday, you can meet Suzanne Corso at Barney's NY, where she'll have a signing event. Details are below.

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

Tips from RecycleBank and Burt's Bees how to make every day an Earth Day

Earth Day is just around the corner (April 22), and if you're looking not only to celebrate it, but also to use it as a source of inspiration to make a difference on each and every day, we got some great advice for you from our friends at RecycleBank and Burt's Bees.

RecycleBank and Burt’s Bees have come up with 10 easy ways that you can do to make a difference today, tomorrow, and every day.

1. Recycle: This Earth Day, take a good hard look at your trash. We trust you’ll fish out some recyclables in the mix (probably from others), but also remember E-Waste like cell phones, MP3’s and laptops can all be recycled and repurposed.

2. Freecycle: The above is sure to stir up some goodies that can be useful to those around us: clothes, books, electronics, furniture, etc.

3. Reuse. Reuse. And did we mention Reuse? Products have life spans. Leave behind paper plates, plastic forks and any other disposables. Reusable serve ware, portable mugs for that latte and a water jug for that necessary potable will lessen landfills and just make life taste better!

4. Wallet Activism: Look for products made from recycled materials, natural ingredients and minimal / biodegradable packaging. By supporting eco-friendly companies your green supports the greater green.

5. Park It: Celebrate the beauty of spring with a walk when you could have driven. Carpool, take public transport, ride your bike. If you can’t do it every day, try once a week. When you do drive, make sure you pump up your tires so you can deflate your fill-ups.

6. Junk It: Putting the kibosh on junk mail and catalogues will save you time, save landfill space and save millions of trees (and probably make the post office happy too).

7. Bills. Bills. Bills. We won’t advise not paying ‘em, but we wholly support going paperless for your banking, bill paying and at the ATM.

8. Live Life Locally: Support your local farmers while enjoying fresh produce and organically grown goodies. You can even try going veggie once or twice a week.

9. Say Y-E-S to CFL’s: You’ll save time, money and energy…but you may have to give up on the “How many _____’s does it take to change a light bulb?” jokes because you’ll change them so infrequently.

10. Spread the Word: Tell your friends how easy it is to shave off some carbon here, save some resources there and conserve a little energy here. And then they can tell their friends. And then they can tell their friends…

Thank you to RecycleBank and Burt's Bees for their Earth Day tips. These companies also walk the talk and are committed to finding clean, green ways of existing on this planet. These simple steps above can help you protect the environment, each and every day.

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

Ten tips from RecycleBank on how to green your Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is almost here and everywhere you look you can find tips for the perfect gift or dish (my favorite: Mark Bittman's Chocolate Souffle) for your loved one.

We want to join the rest, but from our green point of view, and with the help of our friends at RecycleBank, that sent us great tips for greening your Valentine's Day. So here we go:

Valentine’s Day is all about flowers, chocolates and cards, but how can you spoil the special someone in your life and be eco-conscious at the same time? RecycleBank has come up with 10 tips for greening your Valentine’s Day that will help set the mood while saving the planet!

Here are RecycleBank’s 10 romantic ways to “green” your Valentine’s Day:

1. Set your morning in motion by sharing a pot of fairly traded and organically grown coffee. After all, you will want to keep the night young.

2. Since Valentine’s Day lands on Saturday, skip the power shower and enjoy a soak for two… and save water that way.

3. Get enlightened this year with his and hers, or hers and hers, or his and his (well you get the point) CFL’s. While saving tons of energy, they last up to 8 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

4. A rose is a rose is a rose…but is it fairly traded—and how far did it travel to get to your door? There is an abundance of organic, veriflora certified and fairly traded floral options, all perfect gifts.

5. Sweets for your sweetie? Organic and fairly traded cocoa options are sure to send that extra message of sincerity.

6. On this holiday, over one billion cards are sent worldwide. Translation: Save the Trees! Create your own card from recycled goods in your home. After all, it’s not the card, but the sentiment that counts.

7. Enjoy the outdoors. Make a snow-person together. Walk on the beach. Take a hike. Picnic in front of a gorgeous sunset. Or just lie on your backs and count the stars. It’s totally carbonRaz,Raz, free, healthy and romantic.

8. Make a candlelit homemade dinner for two. There is nothing greener than going local, so stop at your local farmers’ market and buy fresh and organic goodies.

9. Forget red or white; go for a bottle of “green” wine. There’s organic wine for whatever kind of mood you’re in… from Shiraz to chardonnay.

10. To end the night, choose organic cotton, bamboo and linen sheets, towels, duvets and comforters.

RecycleBank is a rewards program that motivates people to recycle by quickly and easily measuring the amount of material each home recycles and then converting that activity into RecycleBank Points that can be used at hundreds of local and national rewards partners. You can find more about RecycleBank on their website - www.recyclebank.com

Thank you to our friends at RecycleBank for these great tips!

Happy (green) Valentine's Day,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
www.ecolibris.net

The eBooks that will help your business go green!

In the last couple of weeks we're busy with recommendations on great green-themed books. Today we're focusing on green-themed eBooks. We're happy to host Angela Wieck from EcoBrain who recommends on few green eBooks for businesses.

EcoBrain, eBook Distributor, Provides Resources for Businesses to Go Green

EcoBrain, the #1 eBook marketplace for books on green living for individuals and businesses highlights three eBooks to help businesses in their quest to create corporate sustainability.

A lot of attention has been given to the growth of eBooks recently, with eBooks reportedly rising by 58.9% and most categories of paper books declining. EcoBrain would like to now focus attention on some titles that can help businesses do a better job of going green.

The Next Sustainability Wave: Building Boardroom Buy-in, by Bob Willard ($16.95)

It provides a compelling business case and emphasizes the importance of how sustainability is presented to corporate leaders - using the right language, and avoiding threats to the status quo that provoke habitual corporate defense mechanisms -- the book applies effective selling techniques to reposition sustainability strategies as a means to achieving existing corporate ends, rather than as a separate priority to worry about. It sells sustainability as a solution, a business strategy, and a catalyst for business transformation.

Another excellent title is Dancing with the Tiger: Learning Sustainability Step by Natural Step, by Brian Nattrass and Mary Altomare ($22.95).

For corporations, communities and other organizations, the choreography of the dance toward sustainability has been systematized by The Natural Step: a framework that provides the science, analysis, methodologies and tools to use in the quest for sustainability.

Dancing with the Tiger presents the stories of individuals, teams and organizations learning about change and sustainability, and then acting on that learning. Case studies include some of the most successful companies and communities in North America:

• Nike: its struggles, victories and setbacks on the road to sustainability

• Starbucks: the tension of modeling corporate responsibility with alarming growth

• CH2MHill: its gradual evolution from environmental to sustainability engineering

• Whistler: grappling with the paradox of sustainability in a high profile resort town

• as well as Home Depot, Norm Thomson Outfitters, the municipalities of Seattle and Santa Monica, and others.

Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose, by Rajendra Sisodia, David Wolfe, Jagdish Sheth ($20.12)

It's a fact: People are increasingly searching for higher meaning in their lives, not just more possessions. This trend is transforming the marketplace, the workplace, and the very soul of capitalism. Increasingly, today's most successful companies are those who've brought love, joy, authenticity, empathy, and soulfulness into their businesses: companies that deliver emotional, experiential, and social value, not just profits. Firms of Endearment illuminates this: the most fundamental transformation in capitalism since Adam Smith.

It's not a book about corporate social responsibility: it's about building companies that can sustain success in a radically new era. It's about great companies like IDEO and IKEA, Commerce Bank and Costco, Wegmans and Whole Foods: how they've earned powerful loyalty and affection from all their stakeholders, while achieving stock performance that is truly breathtaking. It's about gaining "share of heart," not just share of wallet. It's about aligning the interests of all your stakeholders, not just juggling them.

It's about understanding how the "new rules of capitalism" mirror the self-actualization focus of our aging society. It's about building companies that leave the world a better place. Most of all, it's about why you must do all this, or risk being left in the dust... and how to get there from wherever you are now.

Not only does EcoBrain offer titles for businesses, but individuals as well. A recommended title for individuals is Global Profit AND Global Justice: Using Your Money to Change the World, by Deb Abbey ($11.95).

Although debate still rages about the merits of globalization, the fact remains that it is inevitable. But instead of people expending their energies on fighting the global economy, we may be much better off trying to shape it. Global Profit AND Global Justice shows how you can use your money creatively to change the world for the better. It aims to empower people to leverage capital for progressive social and environmental change. Arguing that the marketplace is a viable forum for individuals to effect such change, it shows that consumers and investors already have many tools at their disposal to help ensure that the benefits of globalization are distributed equitably.

EcoBrain.com offers thousands of titles, from hundreds of top publishers, about the environment. EcoBrain’s offers eBooks on the environment, sustainable living, cookbooks, biographies, kids’ books, how-to guides, green architecture titles, organic gardening, composting, fiction and more.

Book reviewers and journalists are encouraged to contact EcoBrain for access to complimentary copies.

Angela Wieck

Sales & Marketing

EcoBrain

angela@EcoBrain.com

New survey: 40% of magazine readers will pay more for greener magazines

I learned on Treehugger on a new survey of Hearst Magazines subscribers, which has a very green bottom line: many magazine readers care about the environment and are ready to pay more for magazines printed on recycled paper and committed to eco-friendly practices.

Net Ives reports on Advertising Age on the survey's results:

- Almost four out of five respondents agreed that everyone should care about being eco-friendly.

- 43% of respondents agreed with the statement "If I learned that a product I regularly use was not eco-friendly, I would stop buying it."

- 43% said they would pay more for a magazine printed on recycled paper

- 39% said they would pay more for a magazine committed to eco-friendly practices.

These are pretty good results, although you see an approximate 50% transition ratio - about 80% think everyone should care about the environment, but only about half of them translate it into action, whether negatively to stop using products that are not eco-friendly, or positively by paying a premium for magazines that go green.

Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see that level of support and willingness to pay a premium for magazines that go green. But how much eco-conscious readers are really willing to pay? I guess that when you break it into numbers (more than $1, less than $1, etc.), you will get better understanding of the value readers see in the usage of recycled paper or using eco-friendly practices.

You can see it on a 2005 study of American book and magazine readers that found that almost 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for books printed on recycled paper. At the same time "only" 42% were willing to pay $1 more per book according to the survey.

In any case, it is clear that there is a growing number of readers that are willing to show their support for greener books, magazines and newspapers by paying a reasonable premium for these products, just like they pay it for many other green products they purchase.

More related articles:

Can wheat straw replace trees as the source of paper?

Green Options - ReadyMade Magazine Goes Digital in Green Issue

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

A new book is celebrating green (and Eco-Libris takes part as well)!

A great new green book is out there and it's one big green celebration! I'm referring of course to "Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations & Traditions for the Whole Family" by Corey Colwell-Lipson & Lynn Colwell.

And the authors are also collaborating with Eco-Libris: Although Celebrate Green! is already printed on 30% recycled and 70% FSC certified paper, the authors have teamed up with Eco-Libris to make a even a greater positive impact on the environment. Buyers of the book on the Celebrate Green! website are offered to purchase an Eco-Libris sticker along with each Celebrate Green! book they buy, to plant one tree for it in a developing country. It's simple, spend a dollar, plant a tree and when your book arrives, look for the Eco-Libris sticker on the back.

Also, a portion of the proceeds from Celebrate Green! benefit Treeswing and Healthy Child, Healthy World.

So what's this book is about? maybe the best way to describe it is by presenting what others wrote on the book:

“Celebrate Green! is a wake up call — and it’s a fun, engaging read, jam-packed with hints, how-to’s and humor. Whether you’re an old hand at thinking green or a total neophyte, Lynn and Corey will help you understand why your choices are so important and energize you, too. You’ll discover simple steps to align your life with a healthy Earth, while deepening the meaning and the joy of your celebrations.” Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet and Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity and Courage in a World Gone Mad

"Corey and Lynn make creating eco-savvy celebrations a cinch. Packed with powerful information and practical strategies, Celebrate Green! maps out simple and straightforward ways to honor what’s good for people, the planet, and communities throughout the year. I love how the authors balance fascinating statistics and the “why” behind going green with some of the most creative and “do-able” ideas I’ve ever seen. They have proven that making memories and making a difference can blissfully coexist in our holidays and traditions. Celebrate Green! is an ideal guidebook to help you live—and celebrate—with intention.” Deanna Davis, PhD, Author of Living With Intention

“Wow, wow, WOW! The book Corey and Lynn have created is itself a glorious celebration--of imagination, innovation, and most important of all, beauty. With their savvy guidance we discover how to celebrate in loving ways that nourish our souls and enrich our relationships, while also tending to the health of our global future. What a wonderful way for a new generation to learn to celebrate “with small footprints” on our shared mother, planet Earth!” Marcy Axness, Ph.D., author of Raising Generation PAX

We are going to review the book in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned. For more information on the book, please check Celebrate Green! website - http://www.celebrategreen.net

If you want to meet the authors, Corey and Lynn will sign their book in two events that will take place in the next couple of days:

October 4-5, 2008 - Salmon Days Festival

October 7, 2008 - Green October event at Seattle City Hall

Enjoy the book,
Raz @ Eco-Libirs

Plant a tree for every book you read!

Go easy on the meat this month!

Did we mention we're fans of Do The Green Thing? Yes, we are! And like we do every month in the last couple of months, we're happy to bring you their green message for March: go easy on the meat!

No, they don't preach you to go veggie. They just want you to eat a little bit less meat this month. If you ask yourself why, they're happy to explain:

Now, meat may be tasty – in fact, it’s downright delicious, especially in pie format. But unfortunately it’s also responsible for massive emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.

The way cows, pigs, sheep and even chickens are reared (no sniggering) uses lots of fossil fuels, creating lots of CO2. Farm animals also have a nasty habit of producing vast quantities of methane, as you’ll know if you’ve ever picnicked downwind of a cowherd.

A recent UN report found that meat production was among the top 3 creators of greenhouse gases (including methane which is 23 times more harmful than CO2). It’s responsible for 18% of global emissions, more than the entire world transportation industry.

To produce just 1kg of beef, enough for a spag bol for you and 5 friends, creates a whopping 34.6kg of CO2. It’s enough to make you choke on your chops.

Livestock agriculture is also a major cause of deforestation and soil erosion, as well as being a huge drain on our water supplies. To produce that kilo of beef for your spag bol takes an eye-popping 15,000 litres of water, much more than you need to produce a kilo of cereals. Added to all that is the fact that farm animals, particularly cows, are a windy bunch. They’re responsible for 37% of global methane emissions, which is even more than Michael Winner.

So this month, do your bit for the planet by going Easy On The Meat. You don’t have to go complete veggie – chopping out a couple of portions a week would be a fine effort.Every time you turn down a turkey or bat back a bacon buttie, let us know you’ve DONE IT so we can add up all the CO2 saved by heroic Green Thing members.

As always the message comes with funny videos (and also audio files), such as this one:




Enjoy the green thing!
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!