Happy Holidays (and an advice on what to do with your holiday cards)

It's the festive season now and we would like to wish you all happy, peaceful, enjoyable and of course green holidays!

It's also an opportunity to remind you that if you look for tips and ideas how to green your holidays, you should check the great website of our friends Lynn and Corey of Celebrate Green! - http://www.celebrategreen.net/

And if you're one of those who already got many holiday cards (you've got a lot of friends..) and don't really know what to do with them other than just throwing them to the recycled paper bin, here's a video that might be helpful, especially if you're looking for something creative to do with your children (source: Do The Green Thing):



Best wishes,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!

Why men read less than women? is it only their fault?

If you find yourself in front of your laptop looking for something interesting/fun to read, here's one. It's not about sustainable reading, trees, green books or any of our usual topics, but it's definitely worth reading. The topic: can we blame guys for not reading?

Chris Goldberg is discussing this important issue on Huffington Post ("Dudes Don't Read: The Book Biz's Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?"). In his own words: "Dudes aren't reading. But is it our fault? Or have publishers just given up trying to publish and market books that we'd want to read?"

Do men really read less than women? the research Goldberg is referring to is not the only one claiming that. Eric Weiner reported last year on NPR about a A poll released last month by The Associated Press and Ipsos, a market-research firm: "Among avid readers surveyed by the AP, the typical woman read nine books in a year, compared with only five for men. Women read more than men in all categories except for history and biography." And it's not only in the U.S. - my guestimation is that this is a worldwide phenomenon. Check out Sweden for example.

Goldberg tries to figure out if it's us, the men, or the publishers who are putting almost all of their bets into girly books. He also makes a good point that these gender-biased reading habits also reflect similar bias in picking authors (hint: women rule). And he sums it up asking "How can we make reading novels -- and writing them -- cool again for guys under thirty?"

So check it out at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-goldberg/dudes-dont-read-the-book_b_152362.html

Happy Holidays!

Raz @ Eco-Libris
www.ecolibris.net

New collaboration with a Danish publisher of books that inspire, entertain and makes life less complicated

We are happy to announce on a new collaboration with a publisher. This time we have the pleasure to partner with the Danish publisher Clockwise: In collaboration with Eco-Libris, Clockwise will give costumers the opportunity to plant a tree for every book bought through the Clockwise website.

Clockwise is a new and innovative publisher. Here's a little bit more about it and two new books Clockwise is offering now (in Danish) from the publisher, Marie Halkjær:

Clockwise

Books that inspire, entertain and makes life less complicated. Clockwise is a Danish publishing company specialising in quality non-fiction that helps the reader deal with issues such as career development, parenting, relationship, health, hobbies and sports. Clockwise’s ambition is to make every book special in terms of innovative content and new formats.

Weekend

This is the complete guide to putting together a fun, challenging, relaxing or charitable weekend. Find inspiration for more than 100 great weekend activities and projects to enjoy with your friends, family or all by yourself. From a nostalgic trip down memory lane to wellness, extreme sports light, DIY or throwing theme parties. The book is stuffed with guides, tips and great advice on how to make your weekend special.

Manual

In 45 chapters the authors of Manual gives advice on how to become a winner in the garage, the car, the kitchen, the bedroom, the wilderness and lots more. It’s a manual for making your own schnapps, building an arcade machine and tacking great photos. An inspirational book guaranteeing many hours of entertainment with the guys, from wine tasting to kitesurfing and races with r/c cars. And a helping hand to avoid many unpleasant experiences – getting beaten up on a night out, loosing a discussion or embarrassing silence after your speech at your best friends wedding.

Clockwise is the third European publisher we partner with after BookHouse Publishing of Sweden and Flux of Norway.You're welcome to check out Clockwise's website at: http://www.clockwise.dk

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!

And the winner of the "White Road" giveaway is...

Thank you for all the participants in our giveaway of the "The White Road and Other Stories" following the visit of the author Tania Hershman in our blog as part of her book tour on December 10.

We got great comments about your preferences when it comes to short storeis vs. flash fiction and your preferred length for a short story.And the winner in our giveaway, chosen by Tania, is Leah, who wrote the following:

It's so magical the many ways to swindle the alphabet!!! But, I have to confess that short stories steal my heart! There is room to expand and leave trails of adventure and create a mystery that only the reader will imaginatively be able to solve! Romance burns with more intensity and there always is a fire or two burning whether figuratively or literally in the distance or within. I'd say anywhere from 8 to 32 pages is brilliant for a short story. And, some of my most magical inspirations are Anais Nin, Jane Bowles, Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O’Connor, James Baldwin and more. : ))) Thanks so much for this fabulous give~away! : )))

Congrats Leah! You will receive a copy of "The White Road and Other Stories", and I'm sure you will be happy to know that a tree is being planted with Eco-Libris for this copy, as well as with every other copy of the book!

And two more exciting updates about the book:

Firstly, Tania's visit on our blog was reported in the LA Times book news blog, Jacket copy (which also wrote about us in the past)!

And Tania's book also got into the Amazon UK's list of Bestselling Short Story Collections. It was all the way up to no. 7 and right now it's ranked no. 16 because the book is currently out of stock in the UK (new copies are printed right now). Congrats to Tania!

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris

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

An interview on Treehugger.com

I had the pleasure to be interviewed by Karin Kloosterman of Treehugger.com, which is the leading media outlet and probably the most popular green blog on the internet (how popular? it has 2,628,000+ unique visitors (March 08) and is ranked no. 20 on technorati out of 75,000,000+ blogs).

You are welcome to read the interview on this link: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/interview-eco-libris.php

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

Help to stop the closing of 11 library branches in Philadelphia

I'm a strong supporter of public libraries, not to mention the fact that my mother is a librarian for almost three decades. Unfortunately libraries are also taking the hit of the economic slowdown, including in Philadelphia where 11 Library Branches are slated for closure at the end of the day on December 31st.

Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia, an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to support the Free Library of Philadelphia, is leading a struggle to keep these branches open. We would like to share with you an email with an update (including an important call for action) we received on this matter from fellow SBN member, Ruth Schanbacher. The email Ruth forwarded us was written by Amy Dougherty, Executive Director, Friends of the Free Library.

So here it is:

Dear Library Friends and Supporters:

Eleven Library Branches are slated for closure at the end of the day on December 31st. The city's financial crisis is of real concern. However, as reported on NBC News, the demand for library services and the number of library card holders are up 40%, reaching an all time high. The Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia and our affiliate Friends Groups believe that we should and can share in the sacrifice by reducing library operations equally throughout the entire 54 branch system through the current school year and not permanently shutter these 11 branches. We believe that this is a more equitable and viable option to solving this crisis and one that does not target low income households, children, students of all ages, the elderly, and job seekers in communities where unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy and those living on the wrong side of the digital divide are among the nation's highest.

My op-ed on the front page of the Currents Section in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer, Alternatives to Closings, and the endorsement by the editorial board on page C4, Schools and Libraries: Those Nagging Details, describe why we should not support such a hasty, behind closed doors decision. Instead, we want to do our part and are pleading for time to help the city to preserve our wonderful library system that is a true American story and belongs to all of us.
We ask you now to write to the Mayor and voice your opinion.

Mayor Michael Nutter
City Hall, Room 215
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215.686.2181
Fax: 215.686.2180
E-mail: mayor.nutter@phila.gov or send a message via the web: http://www.phila.gov/mayor/

I truly hope that these branches will stay open and urge everyone to get into the website of Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia (http://www.libraryfriends.info) for further information and updates.

Below you can find a video from the Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia's website on the rally that took place two weeks ago (Dec 6):




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

New collaboration with Gita's, a green holiday cards maker!

Holidays are also about greetings and we couldn't find a better timing to announce on a new collaboration with Gita's, a young company that is offering customer eco-friendly products, among them are eco-friendly holiday cards!

Gita's partnership with Eco-Libris aims to raise awareness to the environmental impacts of using paper for the production of paper and cards, books, and other products and provide people and businesses with an affordable and easy way to do something about it. Gita's will plant one tree with Eco-Libris for every 20 cards or a journal you buy from them!

Gita's is currently offering unique and creative, eco-friendly paper products including holiday cards, thank you cards, and journals. They will soon be offering every day note cards and gift bags.

How green they are? here's a list of their environmental benefits:

All Gita's Tree-Free Greetings and Gift Bags are:

• Environment Friendly
• 100% tree-free, 100% recycled, or FSC certified mixed sources
• Every card has a “Sustainability Grid” on the back with details of material used
• All cards are printed with soy-based inks
• Paper is made from sustainably harvested sources, including kenaf plant, sugar-cane bagasse, and bamboo.
• Paper is manufactured with no chlorine or harmful chemicals and requires less water and energy.

All Gita's Handmade Paper Products are:

• 100% recycled from cotton waste and processed chlorine free
• Cards, journals, and paper are embedded with recycled hemp, flower petals, and other natural raw material
• Every card is handmade with a process that requires less water and energy
  

Gita's is also proud to support EarthShare and its member organizations in creating a healthy and sustainable environment. You contribute to these causes every time you buy our products. They are also working directly with non-profit organizations and artisans to source our handmade paper products in a socially responsible way while offering environmental benefits to customers.

Gita's strives to offer their customers eco friendly products that are of great quality, unique in design, affordable and a great value. They're dedicated to the good of the environment and the people who live in it, and we're very happy to partner with them and add our part to their good and green work!

For additional information on their products please visit Gita's website at www.gitasusa.com

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris
www.ecolibris.net