Green Libraries Week 2025

🌿 Green Libraries Week 2025

Monday 27 October – Sunday 2 November 2025

Green Libraries Week is back! This national celebration highlights how libraries across the UK support climate action, sustainability, and community wellbeing. Sutton Libraries are proud to take part once again — because every borrowed book, every shared space, and every digital read makes a difference.

Ever wondered how much good you’re doing for the planet just by using your local library? Let’s find out!

📗 Borrowing a Book Helps the Environment

 

When you borrow a book instead of buying a new one, you help reduce the demand for paper, ink, transport, and packaging — all of which have a carbon cost.

✅ Each borrowed book saves an estimated 0.7 kg of CO₂ emissions.
🌍 Between April 2024 and April 2025, Sutton Libraries customers prevented over 600 tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere — simply by borrowing instead of buying!

(Source: Bringing Environmental Awareness of Public Libraries to the 2020s, Finnish Public Libraries Network)

 

♻️ 5 Easy Ways to Go Greener with Sutton Libraries

 

1️⃣ Use the space
Libraries are warm, welcoming, and energy-efficient public spaces. Working, studying, or reading here instead of at home helps cut down your personal electricity and heating use.

 

2️⃣ Borrow, don’t buy
From books and audiobooks to tools and kitchen gadgets, borrowing keeps resources in circulation and reduces waste.

 

3️⃣ Access digital resources
No printing, no shipping, no paper waste! Explore our digital library for sustainable reading:
📚 Sustainability in a Bookshell — a curated ebook and audiobook collection.
💻 Visit our digital library for Libby, BorrowBox, and PressReader.

 

4️⃣ Read your news online
Save paper by switching to PressReader, where you can access thousands of newspapers and magazines for free with your library card.

 

5️⃣ Try the Library of Things
At Sutton Central Library, borrow tools, electronics, or even a sewing machine to avoid one-off purchases and reduce waste.

 

🌳 Keep an Eye on Our Events

We regularly host sustainability-themed activities. Check our events platform to see what’s coming up at your local library.

Together, small actions make a big impact. Whether you borrow a book, attend a workshop, or switch to e-reading, you’re helping create a greener, more sustainable future, one library visit at a time.