Going Green @your library

Environmentally friendly practices for libraries and beyond!

Green Office Supplies November 22, 2008

Filed under: Links, Resources — filarwilliams @ 12:11 am
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Looking for greener office sources? Check out these two sites:

The Green Office is a good place to go shopping for sustainable office products. Their mission and vision incorporate building a more ecological and healthy supply company who models sustainable practices through the triple bottom line concept.  You can shop by category: office supplies, paper, technology, ink, furniture, janitorial, breakroom, and gifts; search by their rating guide; find out about upcoming webinars/seminars; or check out their sustainability consulting options.

The Encoprenuerist has a great article called Stocking the Green Office. Choose a topic - sustainable paper options, office furniture, and cleaning supplies- for information and links to resources on each topic.  The Ecopreneurist supplies news and advice and on the topics of sustainability, social entrepreneurship, green products, and green services, as well as assistance for a green start-up business.

 

Build your own energy monitor November 21, 2008

Filed under: Events, Resources — filarwilliams @ 10:50 pm
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Enerjar

For DIYers, check out this Greener Gadgets Design Competition first prize winning Enerjar.  Modeling the free open source design concept,  Matt Meshulam and Zach Dwiel created the downloadable DIY schematic of the  Enerjar.  It  measures how much energy your household appliances are sucking up (vampire power) by providing a conduit between the wall outlet and your device. Materials needed include four integrated circuit chips, 12 resistors, and an LED display, and a power supply salvaged from an unused cell phone charger, and an old jam jar. There have been a few concerns over safety so read over their web site documentation, but I thought it was worth mentioning for a cheap energy (and $$) saver idea.

Interested in more green gadgets? Registration is now open for the February 27, 2009 Green Gadgets 2009 in NYC.

 

Green Wikia November 19, 2008

Filed under: Links, Resources — filarwilliams @ 2:13 pm
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With the climate crisis and environmental issues coming to light in main stream society, more and more people are looking for information on the topic. Green Wikia strives to fill this niche.  It’s like Wikipedia with a green point of view, focusing on relevant and accessible, things you can do. Green Wikia states its mission to be a solid, trusted place to go for more information on living sustainably. Green Wikia encourages others to participate in their areas of expertise by submitting short articles or stubs.  They have a wanted articles section as well.  The Village Pump is a discussion area to connect with others, hear what might be in the works, or comment on how Green Wikia can improve.

It’s quick and easy (and of course free) to register and then add some content such as what you library is doing that’s green. The Green Wikia will only expand and improve its content with others joining and participating.

 

Southwest Colorado Libraries Build Green November 13, 2008

Filed under: News, Resources — filarwilliams @ 1:28 pm
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On the ALA Tech Source Blog Tom Peters blogs an interview with Victoria Petersen, Technology Manager of the Mancos Public Library in southwest Colorado (and one of my favorite small public libraries!) about the details of green building.  (A side note here: Tom and Victoria connected while working together to build Emerald City, an island in Second Life devoted to helping libraries and library-related organizations to become more environmentally friendly!)   Two southwest Colorado libraries, Mancos Public along with Durango Public library are both building green libraries. The Durango Public Library’s new green building will open on December 1st. Mancos Public Library’s building is still under construction.  Check out this interview for ins and outs of green building.

 

Green Workshops November 13, 2008

Filed under: Ideas, News, Resources — filarwilliams @ 1:14 pm
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Last week I was in the Chicago suburbs giving two workshops at two different library consortiums (NSLS and MLS). I met some great folks from various libraries who attended to learn more about greening their libraries though many of them are already going down that path. Many of these libraries are starting green library committees to bring the issue of sustainability into their libraries in an organized way.  (please post a comment and let me know who you are)  Some librarians I met already have green roofs (or green gardens) and even green buildings (one school librarian from Texas gulf area wants to redo her hurricane hit library by going green). Marketing ideas such as bookmarks with links for local recycling places, green blogging for the library, green resource section of the library web site or even a physical display of  green resources owned by the library.  Warren-Newport Public Library is hosting a Recycle-O-Rama this weekend (Nov 15th). They also have a green pledge form for patrons to take and a green ideas form for their library staff to suggest new ideas.  Some libraries are switching to all recycled paper (one library mentioned using a eucalyptus paper that is cheaper and sustainable). Another library mentioned after shredding sensitive documents, they donate the shredded paper to the local animal shelter who uses it for litter (not worries about someone trying to piece the paper back together :) One librarian enlightened us to the Risograph printer which doesn’t use heat to print or copy thus saving at least 90% percent of energy used in most printers.

Thanks to everyone who atteneded and shared your ideas. It was great to connect with other green librarians!

 

Green Spaces = heath November 7, 2008

Filed under: Ideas, News — filarwilliams @ 1:22 pm
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Some recent research studies show that green spaces do more than “pretty up a neighborhood.”  Researchers noted that living near parks, no matter how small, does make a difference and helps reduce inequalities regardless of social class (i.e. poorer areas tend to be more unhealthy.) In the recent 30 years park areas have seen a decline and researchers urge people to realize the indirect effect green spaces have on health which also saves money by preventing illness, reducing stress, lowing blood pressure, and perhaps even promoting faster healing after surgery.  So what can libraries do? Think about having a green space around your library; a native garden, reading/sitting area. If you are building, look for a site that backs up to a park. Use this research to backup your requests for more green landscapes around your library.  Not only would this green space be positive for your neighbors, and patrons, but also your staff.

 

Google’s Green Guides November 5, 2008

Filed under: Ideas, Links — filarwilliams @ 1:42 pm
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Did you see Google’s Halloween themed energy savings calculator?  In a Halloween-y way the short form offers ideas on saving energy and money at the same time.  Google also has a page more energy saving tips arranged by topic such as computer equipment (ex: Buy a Climate Savers certified energy efficient computer),   electronics (ex: Turn down the brightness on your TV and computer monitor), government programs(ex: Map of government and utility programs that provide incentives for energy efficiency investments) and more.  You can also read this CNET article and user comments on Google’s plan to fix the US energy problems called Clean Energy 2030.

 

New Green Schools November 5, 2008

Filed under: Ideas, News — filarwilliams @ 1:29 pm
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The non-profit group Global Green and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) have started a pilot project initiative to create green schools which serve low income children in the Los Angeles area. Two schools have been complete and 3 more are in the works. Global Green is also pushing the initiative for greener schools in New Orleans.  Their goal is to create healthier classrooms and more energy efficient schools. This will not only protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions but improve student performance and save money for school districts. Read more about their green urbanism program.

 

A New Green Library Blog Launched October 27, 2008

Filed under: Links, News — filarwilliams @ 8:47 pm
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Check out the new blog that just launched on Oct 22, 2008 called  The Green Library. Here is the focus:  “The Green Library blog is devoted to documenting significant activities, events, literature, and projects that focus on ” … increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building’s lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal” of and by libraries.”

This blog also has a facebook group.

 

IBM Going Green October 27, 2008

Filed under: Links, technology — filarwilliams @ 8:33 pm
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You probably have seen the TV ads from IBM about their green initiatives and you can learn more by checking out their Web site. They state that they are working on making existing and new services, products, and practices more efficient for both business and having a lesser environmental impact through being environmental leaders in business. They offer news and information about what they are doing especially in the Big Green Innovations area, as well as, ideas for energy efficient IT for all sizes and types of business and strategies for “greener” solutions. You can select on the drop down menu on the right side of this page, the industry ecosystem (for libraries probably government) and get a portal of information related to that industry.  Worth perusing their site if you are interested in what IBM is doing to be more “green.”