I admit it. I have an amazon addiction. As a researcher and reporter, I'm committed to buying books. I try to buy used when I can, but sometimes I break down and buy new. I wish I had the option to buy the books I want on recycled paper, but unfortunately, that's not always offered. But now I can buy a planted tree for every book I buy with Ecolibris.

Ecolibris is an innovative triple p company that helps communities and the environment every time you buy a book. For a buck a book, they will plant a tree. Ecolibris has partnered with tree planting organizations in Africa and Latin America to bolster developing communities and aid in enriching their environment.

It is a sad shame that the majority of publishers today do not print their books on recycled paper. There is no logical reason why books should be printed on virgin paper that equals 20 million trees each year. I highly encourage publishers, online booksellers, and retail stores to reconsider the environmental impact of printing books on virgin paper and partner with Ecolibris.

Another option is to print books on the material that Cradle to Cradle was printed on. These durabooks are made from a material that is waterproof, durable, and recyclable. It is also a prototype of a "technical nutrient" - "a product that can be broken down and circulated infinitely in industrial cycles." (Cradle to Cradle, by William McDonough and Michael Braungart)

In the meantime, as book consumers, we now have an easy opportunity to give back to mother nature every time we take away. Of course, it's not a zero-sum game. There is no way of knowing how old the trees were when they were cut down to print my latest copy of Zoom, but at least I can make a positive impact in this small, but meaningful way.

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