Creating a Compendium of Green Resources

For booksellers, becoming greener means incorporating environmentally friendly practices in day-to-day operations, as well as meeting the needs of a growing number of consumers looking for reliable information on everything from the science of global warming to public policies and personal practices that can help make the world a better place to live.

The American Booksellers Association is involved in an ongoing effort to help members meet these challenges. At this year's Winter Institute, becoming greener was the focus of a keynote address by Gary Hirshberg, president and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farms and the author of Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World (Hyperion), and of the "Green Retaining" panel featuring Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA), author of Apollo's Fire (Island Press); Sue Lynn, Confluence Bookstore, Bistro, and Business Center (Bellevue, NE); and Scott Sklar, co-author of Consumer Guide to Solar Energy (Bonus Books) and president of The Stella Group, Ltd.

ABA's handout from the Wi3 "Green Retailing" panel is now available to ABA bookstore members in PDF format on BookWeb.org, as is "Top 10: What Should I Do in My Home or Office Building? A Guide", prepared by Sklar for The Stella Group.

In addition, Bookselling This Week has begun a series of articles on different aspects of green retailing, including features on bookstores with new green sections and businesses instituting environmentally friendly practices that are money-saving, too. (View a complete list of BTW's green features to date.)

ABA is also in the process of compiling a selection of notable titles dealing with the environment -- everything from how to modify personal and business practices to conserve resources and cut carbon emissions to titles focusing on public policy -- that it will make available in PDF format as a "Green List," similar to the "Shop Local" list.

Booksellers are being asked to e-mail nominations for the Green List to Dan Cullen, ABA senior director of editorial content, at dan@bookweb.org and include the words "green list" in the subject line. The deadline for submissions to the Green List is Friday, March 28.

For future BTW articles, booksellers who are instituting green policies in their stores, creating green sections featuring books and sidelines, or undertaking other initiatives are asked to contact BTW Editorial Director Rosemary Hawkins at rosemary@bookweb.org.

Booksellers heading to BookExpo America in Los Angeles should mark their calendars to attend ABA's "Green Retailing" panel, part of ABA's Day of Education on Thursday, May 29, at Hotel ABA.