Simple Steps to Go Green: Week 3 &4

I feel bad that I missed out on posting last week (I'm sure you were all broken up inside), so I am going to do the best entry yet this week. I hope you find it as exciting as I do.

1. The Gandhi of Websites.

I recently came across a company called BetterWorld Books (www.betterworld.com), an entirely online bookstore that I just love. The first thing I loved is that they sell tons of used books as well so you can cut down on unnecessary waste and cost. Yes, yes, I know, Amazon does that too, but check out the other reasons why BetterWorld is probably the most ethical company I know of.

- They donate portions of their profits to literacy funds around the world. You can actually choose which region to send this donation to, there tends to be one organization per continent, so they specialize in supporting literacy in South America, for example.

-Free shpping anywhere in the States, $2.97 anywhere else in the world. ANYWHERE. from their website: "We'll always help you out, no matter how unusual the request. Shipping to Inner Mongolia? We'll go find a yak. "

-they are more used than new, and carry an incredible selection (1.8 million used titles, 500 000 new). Really, why buy a new book, once yo uare done reading it it looks used anyways.

- if you receive a book and you aren't satisfied, they take it back no questions asked. Period.

- According to their website, libraries have actually had to resort to tossing books in dumpsters because they are short of space and can't find anywhere to put them when new ones come in. BetterWorld works to rescue books like this so they aren't discarded, and obviously the libraries are pretty happy about this too. (interesting stat: they have kept 5 million pounds of books out of landfills this way)

- possibly the best part: BetterWorld works with CarbonFund.org to offset the environmental impacts of their shipping. Each order is charged an extra 5 cents to go towards purchasing carbon offsets like planting trees to neutralize the environmental impact of their shipping. They call it the Carbon Neutral Shopping cart. They also use the post office (when possible) instead of couriers (apparently this is the most energy efficient way of shipping) and still manage to ship in only a few days. If they are running late, they email to tell you when you can expect your order to be in.

Can I just say it? WOW. I am doing all my Christmas shopping here next year.