The U.S. 2010 Census is going green, but is it as good as it can get?

Are you getting ready for Census 2010? well, even if you didn't remember it's coming, the U.S. Census Bureau is already working on it and it has begun printing 2010 Census questionnaires.

And this time the Census Bureau is going green. As Treehugger reported yesterday "The Census Bureau has gone to great lengths to make the printing process as efficient and eco-friendly as possible," Census Director Robert Groves said. "The printing of 2010 Census questionnaires uses 30 percent less ink than 10 years ago and will be printed on 30 percent recycled paper."

Well, this is really great if you think of the number of questionnaires printed - more than 120 million questionnaires. But I was wondering while reading the news - is this as good as it can get in 2010?

I tried to think about the filled part of the glass - this is a great progress comparing with 2000 Census, it will help increasing the demand for recycled paper and reducing its price, less trees will be cut down, less resources will be wasted and less pollution will be generated.

These are very important and positive outcomes of this move, but I still can't understand why the Census Bureau can't offer to fill in the questionnaires online. Just think how much trees, other resources, green house gases and pollution could be saved then.

I know this step might be difficult to implement, but if the IRS can let you fill your tax report online why shouldn't the Census Bureau can offer you the same? Do we really need to wait for Census 2020 for this option to be (hopefully) available?

I'll be happy to hear your thoughts about it.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing

My Summer Reading with author and founder of Pilcrow Lit Fest, Amy Guth

This week on our series My Summer Reading we're having a dear friend from Chicago - Amy Guth.

Amy Guth is Digital Coordinator/Books for the Chicago Tribune and writes the local literary blog, Chicago Subtext, for the Tribune's Chicago Now blog network. She is the founder of Pilcrow Lit Fest (which partnered with Eco-Libris for the second time this year), managing editor at So New, a regular crew member at Reading Under The Influence and author of Three Fallen Women (2006).

Previously, she has written for a variety of national and online publications, many of which can be seen here. In addition to her personal blog, Bigmouth Indeed Strikes Again, she also writes a fitness blog, Bonkless, is a new-ish filmmaker and a disaster and mass care volunteer for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. Previously, she collaborated in several sketch comedy productions at Second City's training center and other improv comedy venues, served as assistant fiction editor at 42 Opus, and hosted/curated Chicago's Fixx Reading Series.

For more info, please visit the FAQ page of her main blog or follow her on Twitter.

Hi Amy, what are you reading now?
I'm reading both How To Hold A Woman by Billy Lombardo and Sunlight at Midnight, Darkness at Noon by Cunningham and McCreesh. Both are from local Chicago publishers-- OV Books and Orange Alert Press, respectively-- and I'm enjoying both very much.

I tend to read more than one book at a time. Occupational hazard.

Any recommendation on a good summer reading?

I tend to want to read dark, mysterious inner-transformation of protagonist sorts of things in the winter and bright, incredible stories of inner-transformation of the protagonist in the summer. [laughs] I never really seek that out, per se, I just tend to intuitively gravitate towards different things in different weather. I think the key elements of a good summer read is something you can set down and pick back up again later and not have to page back to remember. The ideal summer read has literary weight to it, but it also clips along so you, the reader, and step in and out of it as needed.

What you are planning to read this summer?
I am trying to re-read some classic novels I read as a teenager. I see them so differently now. Years will bring that kind of perspective.

What is your favorite place to read in the summer?
An outdoor cafe, in warm sunshine, with a good pinot grigio and a plate of olives. That's about as good as it gets for me.

Thanks Amy!

So far on My Summer Reading series:

Christian Valentiner of the Norwegian publisher Flux

Avrim Topel, co-author of 'My Green Beginnings'

Tania Hershman, author of 'The White Road and Other Stories'

Elisabeth Baines, author of the upcoming book 'Too Many Magpie'

Erica Caldwell of the bookstore Present Tense

Sue Schrader of the bookstore Sources of Hope

Jennifer Taylor of GreetQ

Kathleen Wilson, author of "Rumer & Qix"

Edain Dugay of Wyrdwood Publications

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green reading

Green Options: 7 Environmental Lessons from Living in Europe

This post is brought to you as part of our content partnership with the Green Options. It was originally posted on Sustainablog by Zachary Shahan on July 21.


I have lived in Europe on two occasions now -- for five months in the Netherlands (two years ago) and for ten months in Poland (currently). I have been green-minded since I was a young child, and knew that Europe did better on many green issues. Nonetheless, to come here and live here has given me more insight on the perspectives of the people and more of a practical understanding of why Europe fairs so much better than the US on many environmental issues.

Recently, I came up with a list of seven things that really stand out to me as good environmental practices in Europe that could be transferred to the US. These could all be adopted in the US, but some are more personal in nature and some are more systemic. Furthermore, some of the personal ones regard large, life decisions, and some are much simpler in nature and easier to implement into your life now.

Of course, Europe is not one country and things vary from country to country. Nonetheless, there are also several similarities across borders. I have friends in other countries and have traveled a bit as well, so I hope to be sharing the best of the best.

Here's the list!

A winner on our giveaway of "What Do You See?: A Lift-the-Flap Book About Endangered Animals"

We also had a giveaway following our review of "What Do You See?: A Lift-the-Flap Book About Endangered Animals" by Amy Schimler, and we have a winner!

We asked you to share with us what is your or your kid's favorite animal and got many many great replies - from dogs and cats to giraffes and rats! The chosen animal of our winner, Jayne @ Misplaced City Girl was no other than frogs. Here is what she wrote:

Tosha likes tree frogs. And she'll jump around the house like a frog. Especially after her grandparents have given her bag of Starburst to take home.
Congrats Jayne! You won a copy of this great book and we'll also plant a tree for it and send you with it our "One tree planted for this book" sticker.

Thank you to all the other participants who shared their favorite animals with us. And of course thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing that contributed this book. We'll have more Little Green Books reviewed on our blog (and giveaways!) so stay tuned!

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green reading

And we have a winner on our giveaway of "The Green Year"

We had a giveaway following our review of "The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference" by Jodi Helmer, and we have a winner!

We asked you to share with us a tip of your own - one small step to go green that you successfully adopted. We got great tips and our winner is Annie who adopted what seems to be (at least to fathers like me) a very challenging though rewarding green practice - cloth diapers. Here is what she wrote:

Well- we have been trying to go green by adopting cloth diapers last year! They are making a come back!!!

Since our decision to do the cloth diapers, our whole look on waste has change naturally. We use cloth napkins at dinner time and we use dish towels more than anyone I know! The little things you do can make a huge difference!

Congrats Annie. You won a copy of this great book and we'll also plant a tree for it and send you with it our "One tree planted for this book" sticker.

Thank you to all the other participants who shared their great stories with us.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green reading

Is Target's book club the new Oprah's book club?

A very interesting article on the New York Times ("Target Can Make Sleepy Titles Into Best Sellers") today about a retailer that is becoming an influential player in the book industry - Target. Yes, Target.

They're not selling maybe as much as Amazon and B&N do, but as Motoko Rich explains in the article "through its book club, as well as a program it calls Bookmarked Breakout, both started in 2005, the company has highlighted largely unknown writers, helping their books find their way into shopping carts filled with paper towels, cereal and shampoo."

Target's Book club picks are sold in 20% discount, which together with noticeable presentation of the books in the stores ("narrower shelves that stand at the front or end of aisles — with specially designed signs") and consistent good picks by the book club, are making these books very attractive choice for customers.

The results? Jacqueline Updike, director of adult sales at Random House says in the article that Target “can sell hundreds of thousands of copies of a book that is virtually unknown in the rest of the marketplace”.

What I like about Target's programs is that they choose many times unknown authors and makes their book a hit overnight, like Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay who sold 145,000 copies at Target in comparison with sales of couple of thousands of copies before that. For each book selected as a Bookmarked Club Pick, the publisher produces a special edition, and the author writes a letter addressed to Target readers.

This is really great news and kudos to Target for their efforts. I hope they will also expand their programs to include a new green book club program that will be solely dedicated to promote green books. With Target's innovative and green approach and proven success to make books bestsellers, I am positive they can help the book industry not only to sell more books, but also to become more sustainable.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green reading

Green printing tip #7: What is the best alternative if you can't afford to buy Seed paper?

It's Tuesday already and it means it's time for another valuable 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 discussing one of my favorite papers (especially for bookmarks..) and what options you have if you want to use it but it's too expensive for your budget.

What is the best alternative if you can't afford to buy Seed paper?

Tip #7

First, Seed paper is paper with seeds in the sheets. When ready to be recycled, the consumer is encouraged to bury the postcard, etc in their backyard and the seeds will grow into Wild Flowers.

This paper only comes in 13 x 19 cover weight, and costs approximately $5.00 per sheet delivered.

I suggest using small sizes to get your point across. Postcards and business cards are the most popular uses of this paper. For larger runs, I suggest printing your message on 100% post-consumer paper and die cutting a small piece of the seed paper and spot gluing to the less expensive recycled cover.

In your ad copy, you can say plant the seed paper image and it will grow into flowers. That die cut image could be your main point to your message to your readers. This was done by a company that die cut 200,000 2 x 2 pieces and gluing to 200,000 larger sheets, printed on a grade that was 1/10 the price of the seed paper.

If that doesn't work, I suggest changing to a different Tree Free paper. As the Seed paper has a lot of specs and colors in the paper, I recommend Sugar Cane, Mango, or Banana papers. You won't have the seeds, but the lines are eye catching, environmental, and Tree Free.

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 .

More green printing tips:

Green Printing Tip #6 - Is Spot Color printing environmentally friendly?

Green Printing Tip #5 - How to avoid being greenwashed when buying printing services?

Green Printing Tip #4 - What does FSC Certified mean? Is it enough?

Green Printing Tip #3 - How you make sure everyone knows you're using green printing practices

Green Printing Tip #2 - How you can make money while printing on 100% recycled paper

Green Printing Tip #1 - Go for a digital job

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

All the tips are archived and saved on http://www.ecolibris.net/greentips.asp (part of our green printing tools & resources page).

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: promoting green printing