7 Ways to be a Green Writer

Tomorrow is EARTH DAY! Our earth is beautiful, and I want to keep it that way (and make the dying parts healthy and beautiful again). Whether or not you believe global warming (for the record: I do) shouldn’t stop you from wanting to take care of our planet! I’ve composed a list of seven ways we writers can be more green. I hope you’ll apply some or all of these ways to your daily life. If everyone did something small or easy it could make a big difference. Helping our wonderful planet must start somewhere! 

These are two fabulous sites for greening it up: Recycled lists over 50 links for knowing where and how to recycle everything from ink cartridges to furniture to televisions. The Green Guide for Every Day Living is an excellent site for going green in non-writerly ways as well!

7 ways to be a green writer:

Image obtained here.

Use both paper sides. Do you throw away a lot of junk mail, flyers, and other papers? Keep a space in your office just for scrap paper. Print anything only your eyes see like WiPs, recipes, lists, schedules, etc. on scrap paper. I print coupons on scrap paper, too. Since those are handed to the cashier, be sure there’s nothing important on the other side like addresses or bank account numbers. My scrap paper box never seems to go down because there is too much paper in the world. So I keep reusing it! Any time I have a piece of paper with the back side blank, I put it in my scrap paper box for printing.  

Recycle papers and cardboard. Sort through your magazines and newspapers, keep any useful articles, and recycle what’s leftover. Instead of tossing your writing papers in the trash, recycle them or use the blank side for printing a draft of your WiP. When you receive those new books or the external hard drive you ordered, recycle the box and packaging.

Print WiPs only when necessary. If you can do all your edits and revisions on the computer screen, that’s excellent! I have difficulty editing on the computer, though. When I need to edit, I print my WiP on scrap paper. I use colored pens and highlighters and designate each color to whatever I need revising: green for grammar, purple for plot, orange for dialogue, etc. That way, I can mark up the first printing as much as possible and keep it organized so I understand my edits.

Image obtained at www.EdenProject.com.

Buy recycled materials. Whenever possible, buy notebooks, paper, pencils, and other writing things out of 100% recycled materials. Buying recycled materials keeps the recycling factories in business, which benefits our earth. When I was younger I had pencils made from recycled denim, and the other day I saw pencils made from recycled tires! EcoPaper provides notebooks, envelopes, and other office supplies made entirely from recycled materials.

Use reusable bags. When buying products made from recycled materials, it makes sense to bring along a reusable bag. I don’t like accumulating plastic bags, and it breaks my heart seeing plastic bags clinging to a tree’s branches (especially when birds are eyeing it up for their nests). Most stores carry their own reusable bags and some even give a discount every time you come to their store with one. Reusable Bags Depot offers stylish shopping bags and other green products. 

Image obtained here.

Recycle or restore office furniture. Purchasing a new chair or desk for your office? Consider purchasing furniture made from sustainable woods. Instead of leaving old furniture for the trash truck, take it to a thrift store or a consignment shop (where you could even make a little money!). While you’re there, you might find something you could restore for your office. Or instead of buying something new, you could restore your old furniture using environmentally friendly paints and fabrics made from natural fibers. Green America Today provides information about eco-friendly paints and stains. Natural Environment Blog has a great post about natural fabrics. 

Recycle electronics. Buying a new computer or printer? This site offers a list of places where you can recycle or donate your old electronic equipment.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”  ~Albert Einstein

“Nature is a writer's best friend.”  ~Agavé Powers

Image obtained here.

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”  ~E. B. White 

“Take nothing but pictures.
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.”
~Motto of the Baltimore Grotto

Share with me!

How else can we be green writers? Do you do anything special for the environment to celebrate Earth Day?