According to Eco-Libris, over 30 million trees are cut down every year to make enough paper for books sold in the United States. While books are a valuable resource for learning as well as entertainment, throwing away used books is wasteful and harmful to the environment. Fortunately, there are ways to put books you no longer want or need to good use.
Donate Them
There are many ways to give away used books that you no longer want when they are still in good condition. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery suggests donating used books to libraries, prisons, schools and nonprofit organizations.
Sell Them
Most areas have used bookstores that will buy your used books or give you credit with which you can shop for other items in that store. You can sell your books online, either at websites specifically intended for selling used books or online classified sites.
Swap Them
Invite friends, relatives and neighbors to your home for a fun book swap. Have everyone bring a set number of used books, and a snack or appetizer to share to make a party out of it. Draw numbers to see who gets to pick first, but make sure nobody ends up with their own old books!
Re-gift Them
A stack of gently used novels would likely be greatly appreciated by a friend confined to bed due to illness or injury. A collection of cookbooks might be exactly what a first-time homeowner is wishing for. Favorite children's books would make a charming gift for new parents. Consider the wants and needs of the recipient and give accordingly.
Upcycle Them
You can make many crafts from used books. Planet Green suggests hollowing the centers of some of the pages of a hardcover book to make an inconspicuous safe, or creating colorful, custom envelopes by folding up pages of children's books. Make an interesting collage from favorite book covers, or use a clock movement kit to create a timepiece from a great read.
Compost Them
Tear the pages out of old, damaged books. Shred them and add them to your compost pile. According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension, shredded paper can be a valuable source of carbon when combined with other composting matter. You can also use shredded pages as mulch.
Read Them to Others
Volunteer to visit children who are hospitalized, nursing home residents or members of a community center for the blind. Ask the person with whom you are matched to select a book from your collection and spend some time reading together. Leave the books there so that other volunteers may read them, too.
Release Them
Release old books "into the wild" where others can enjoy them. Place them at bus stops, in doctors' waiting rooms, at laundromats and anywhere else a book might help someone pass the time. Write an anonymous note in the front cover informing them that you intentionally left the book and inviting them to enjoy it. There are even sites, such as Bookcrossing.com, that allow you to track your books.
Barter Them
Find a local or online bartering group and offer your books in trade for other items or services. If you have a nice assortment of books in a theme, such as books by a specific author or in a particular genre, they may be highly desirable to a collector. Some free bartering groups include Kashless.org and Tradeaway.com. Craigslist has a barter section, as well.
Recycle Them
If all else fails and you are unable to find a beneficial way to use your old books, recycle them properly rather than tossing them in the trash. Anoka County, Minnesota Integrated Waste Management reports that the paper used to make paperback and hardcover books is sought by recyclers. Contact your local recycling center to find out if they accept used books.
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