Sunday October 19th Keen on Green

If you have visited the Library recently, you no doubt have heard about our Keen on Green campaign. With this initiative, we are trying to help to reduce consumption and the size of our carbon footprint here in Thunder Bay. Just by borrowing books or DVDs or other materials from the Library you are helping to do this and you can earn recognition for it with a special “green” card which gets marked every time you borrow. You can get extra points for other green activities too, such as riding your bicycle to the library or taking the bus. The campaign continues until December when we will choose one randomly drawn green card from the completed ones which you submit, and award that lucky person with an Energy Star laptop computer!

At the same time, we are highlighting our green resources. You might be surprised to learn what is available at the Library. Here are some highlights and interesting facts about what is available for you as you work towards the greening of your own life and that of our community.

Do you have any information programs?

Earthwise Thunder Bay has been presenting a series of ecologically-themed programs each month. For instance, on October 23 at the Waverley Library at 7pm they are showing The Story of Stuff, a documentary about the concept of Zero Waste.

What do you do with old books you no longer want to keep at the Library?

We recycle! Those items which are withdrawn from our collections are sent to the Friends of the Library Book Store in Victoriaville where you can pick up some great bargains very cheaply.

Do you have books to help children understand the importance of a greener earth?

What children can experience, they will understand and for that reason I would like to point out one very special book for children Eco-Fun by Dr. David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden. It has some amazing projects, experiments and games for children to learn about our Earth and to understand our connection with it. Pachamamama: Our Earth- Our Future is another great title, but with a different approach. It is a United Nations-produced book which combines factual information about freshwater, smog, urbanization and other issues, along with artwork and writing by children from around the world. There are hundreds of other titles too but these two are especially notable and recommended.

Do you accept books as donations?

No one likes to get rid of their old books, least of all a book-lover as most of our library patrons are. Yes, we accept books as donations if they are in still in good condition. We may select some to put into the library collection, or send some to the Friends bookstore for possible resale. Either way, they are put to good use.

Do you use recyclables for your programs?

We certainly do. We have made reindeer puppets from mens’ old ties (thanks Dad!), wind chimes from bottle caps, bird feeders from milk cartons, pillows for teens from their old jeans….you name it, we’ve recycled it. Just yesterday kids were making sock puppets at the Brodie library. Look at our website www.tbpl.ca/kidszone for information about other upcoming children’s programs.

There is much more I could say on this subject such as how we lend out electronic energy meters (thanks Eco-Superior!) but I have to stop here so I can get back to working on the rehabilitation of a papier-mache puppet from the 1970s. With a little new papier-mache on the face, some re-painting of her hands and a new apron and scarf from the scrap bag, she can have new life as Strega Nona, star of an upcoming puppet show at the Library. Remember to stay Keen on Green and visit the Library soon.

By Angela Meady, Head of Children’s & Youth Services for the Thunder Bay Public Library