The Eco-Lover’s Library: Why Second-hand Books are a Win-Win

I’m an environmentalist who has been deeply connected with books since childhood. I’m an avid book reader as well and I love collecting books and then flexing about it. Like any other bibliophile, my wildest dream was to have a room full of bookshelves with bundles of books in it. 

Later on in life, when I figured out that I wanted to be an environmentalist, it always gave me pain to choose between books and the planet.

Books comprise frozen imprints of ideas on a piece of paper. If we ought to remove invaluable thoughts and perspectives of the authors, all that remains in books are Papers, Papers, and, Papers.

Having said that, I recently explored the world of second-hand books. It is in a true sense a win-win situation.

Let’s understand this with the case study of a Sunday second-hand book market named ‘Mahila Haat’ in Delhi, India. Mahila Haat is in Chandni Chowk Delhi, nearest metro station is Delhi Gate in Violet Line. 

Better for Planet

According to The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the pulp and paper industry is categorized under Red Category Industry. 

The Pollution Index (PI) of any industrial sector is a number from 0 to 100 and the increasing value of PI denotes the increasing degree of pollution load from the industrial sector. Industrial sectors which are having a PI score of more than 60 are kept under Red Category Industries.

The sadder part is that we as book lovers don’t circulate our books and at the end of life they are just piled up in some corner of the landfills. If we learn to reuse and share the books as many times as possible, we as bibliophiles can significantly help in lowering the carbon footprint.

The easiest way that we can come to this concept into play is by exploring the world of second-hand books and then embracing the art of it. 

Quantity with Quality

But what are second-hand books? A used book or a secondhand book is a book that has been owned before by an owner other than the publisher or retailer, usually by an individual or library. 

In Mahila Haat, you can get an infinite number of book titles of your choice. There is also a provision to give back your used books to the same place. This is how we can make reading books a circular model. 

Also, if you’re lucky enough, you get some brand-new books in your hands in this second-hand book market. 

Unlike fancy bookstores in malls which add a lot of pollution to the environment, Mahila Haat and its equivalents are usually made in an open area. 

The love for books is such that on a gloomy Sunday, these planet warriors spend their holiday in the scorching heat of the sun, bargaining with the booksellers, discussing ideas and their favorite characters, laughing giggling, and enjoying their time.

All in all, it may sound gibberish and very small as a contribution to save the planet. But these small acts of smarter choices combine to showcase a bigger impact.  

Pocket-friendly

Not only second-hand book market is a sustainable choice for the planet but also it is very sweet for your pocket.

Book lovers spend a major chunk of their money on books. At least this is what I can vouch for myself. I’m a very moody person when it comes to reading. With every mood, I want a different genre book to read. And in that angst, I end up spending a lot of money to buy from online marketplaces or a fancy bookstore near me. 

At the very beginning of this year, in January, the best financial decision that I took for myself was going to a second-hand book market and bringing in books from different genres. 

The fact that I bought 18 books from diverse genres at just INR 900/- is still something that I’m digesting and coming to terms with.

Just to summarize, adopting the culture of second-hand book shopping is indeed a win-win situation. It is better for the planet, extremely pocket-friendly, gives quantity with quality, and most importantly gives employment to the poor. 

I would like to leave you with 2 simple schools of thought given by 2 legends Mark Twain and Leonard Nimoy respectively.

“Let us not be too particular; it is better to have old second-hand diamonds than none at all.”

“The miracle is this, the more we share the more we have.”

Pro Sustainable Tip: Bring plenty of bags with you when visiting such a market.