Books go through their own story to get to your shelf, and another once they leave, it’s important we understand the processes involved and make sure each chapter is made to last!
Chapter 1: Writing
Books provide us with many opportunities, whether that be an escape from reality or an insight into gaining knowledge. Out of the 158 million different books the world has to offer, there is usually something for everyone. The first step in producing a book, and the hardest, is writing. On average, it can take up to eight months to create a first draft, however, this largely depends on the nature of the book, if it’s the sole purpose of the writer and the length! To ensure the writing of a book is sustainable, writers should make sure to use a computer and, if possible, not print their drafts until absolutely necessary. Whilst using technology also has its environmental costs, they are significantly lower than alternative options.
Chapter 2: Printing
Once a book is written it goes through the printing process, and while there are many ways to do this, each method tends to involve similar raw materials: paper, ink, glue and thread. Understanding and evaluating the sources of these materials is impressive for a transparent business. For example, is the paper made from recycled paper? Is the ink water-based? Is the glue water-soluble, non-toxic, and plastic-free? Are the fibres in the thread responsibly grown? Many more questions can be asked when it comes to sourcing materials, but these are a great starting point. Additionally, you should assess how much waste is being produced, not only will this identify where you are losing capital, but it means there is also an opportunity to engage in lean processes to create increased value for the planet, customers and yourself. The majority of waste is sent to landfill, so recycling or giving waste a new life contributes to creating a circular economy.
Chapter 3: Distribution
In 2022 alone, the UK sold 209 million book copies, however, most books are sold worldwide, requiring distribution to thousands of different locations, which as you can probably guess, involves large amounts of fossil fuel-burning methods. This is a difficult obstacle to overcome as technological advancements of electric vehicles have only commercially come as far as cars. However, producing books to order, i.e., only manufacturing the book once the customer has paid for it, is an excellent way to reduce waste and conserve resources.
Chapter 4: Consumption
Let’s take the perspective of a consumer, overconsumption is one of the biggest challenges we are facing as a society today, this being excessive consumption of products, and in turn, resources, which negatively impact the environment. Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people interested in reading, whilst this brings many benefits, we need to be aware of the impact this is having on our planet. The average carbon emission of a single book is 1kg of CO2, times this by the number of books on the planet, that’s quite a lot of atmospheric pollution which we will soon be unable to reverse. I am just as guilty as the next person of wanting a personal library filled with endless books, however, it is important to understand how we can responsibly achieve a fulfilling book collection. For example, are you able to buy your book second-hand? My favourite website for this is World Of Books, they have almost anything and often for a cheaper price! Or perhaps your shelves are getting a bit full, you may prefer to explore the e-book collections many retailers have to offer, again usually a cheaper alternative. A third, and often forgotten option, is the use of a library where countless people have access to the same selection of books which can be borrowed for a short amount of time. For many demographics, i.e., children or those on benefits, borrowing books is free, otherwise, it’s a small fee where you can certainly get your moneys worth. These options, which still reach the same result of being able to read a book, are a step in the right direction to ensure a sustainable future.
Epilogue
This is the final stage of a book’s life, or as I hope to share, the unwritten future. Once you are done with your book, can you part with it? I understand there are some books we want to keep forever as we may read them more than once, however, just donating a few of your books means someone else has the opportunity to buy second-hand. Books use large amounts of paper, fueling deforestation, the more we can circulate the same number of books, the slower we deplete our resources. Another benefit of donating books is that those who are unable to afford retail price books have access to cheaper or even free sources of knowledge.
The End
Not My Monkey 