I was excited to see that our latest issue of In the Loop has a focus on green initiatives because the public library is really the ultimate ecological tool. We are all about sharing resources around here. I recently had a book in my hand that had been checked out of the library over 250 times since it first arrived in the library. That’s how a community comes together to make use of valuable materials (quite valuable because it was an M.C. Beaton title, she really is the best). Many customers walk, cycle, or use public transit to travel to the library as the branches are centrally located – a win-win for everyone. Combining a public library’s outstanding resources with the ability for community members to come together in a shared space is just the tip of the iceberg in what makes WPL your one-stop shop for becoming more earth-friendly.

I’ve noticed that our latest Program and Events guide isn’t the only publication feeling inspired by all things sustainable. It looks like every possible magazine is taking this for their cover story right now. Oprah is gallivanting in front of a waterfall and proclaiming “…the earth has taken excellent care of us, let’s return the favour.” Martha suggests 80 ways to live “cleaner and greener” and Rachael Ray has a gorgeous veggie-filled pasta on her cover. That image is really calling out to me, especially as the recipe inside includes a pistachio pesto. Yes, it does.

Each of these magazine powerhouses provides their own spin on how to reduce waste, shop more responsibly, and try to make your home a more earth-friendly one. It is curious to compare your own environmental efforts with those of these three women. Well, when you consider the options available to us and those that a celebrity has it might seem different at first but the impact of our actions are exactly the same (my personal chef will not be chopping the pistachios for my pesto). Each time we purchase less single-use plastic bags, decide to spend less time in a drive-thru or try to carry reusable cutlery so that we can enjoy bakery treats on the run we are all making a decision to keep help our shared planet. The same goes for Oprah, Rachael or Martha. Same earth but less personal chefs at my house.

We also have magazines that promote a sustainable lifestyle 365 days of the year like Mother Earth News and Taproot. These magazines regularly publish articles on topics like gardening, preserving, pickling, and suggest projects that use responsible materials or reusing what you have. Their step-by-step directions can’t be beat – even I have had success with a few. You can access some of our magazine collection both on the physical shelves and through RB Digital while other magazines, like Harrowsmith, are only accessible as an electronic version. It is worth a few extra clicks to get to this gorgeous Canadian publication – a trusted source since 1976 – to find their profiles of farmers and companies that work with the produce that comes from just down the road in some cases. A recent story was about a small dairy farm from Brantford called Little Brown Cow Dairy. One-hundred mile diet fans will love to check them out but you should too, if only to admire their beautiful Jersey cattle, sample the cheese and maybe some ice cream?

With sustainable ideas that come from our shelves (both digital and on the physical shelves) it’s possible to make some exciting plans for greening up your life in the next year. And you won’t have to feel guilty about purchasing anything to do your research because we have all of the information here for you in the library! For a more hands-on approach to some Earth-friendly activities you can join us here for one of our free activities. We have something for everyone because we’ll be gardening, learning about butterflies, making non-toxic dryer sheets (yes!), walking at Laurel Creek Nature Centre, and vermicomposting. Want to learn more? Come to the library…

— Penny M.