[ECO]BooksRun Used Books: Where Every Book Plants a Tree

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

BooksRun helps used books find new homes and plants trees for each one that is sold.

In our era of excessive consumption, new books often mean new trees are being cut down. And while I don’t mean any literal connection, but you’re surely aware of the consequences: deforestation, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and disrupted ecosystems. That’s why there’s so much talk about the necessity to conserve forests, and there’s a call for companies to drive change. The good news is that some of them are already making efforts to integrate sustainability and zero-waste principles into their business models. But how many consider actions that would directly impact the number of trees preserved or planted and ensure a positive and feasible result? Let me tell you about one such company.

As long as I can remember, I’ve liked books, bookstores, libraries, and all sorts of places filled with old and new books. At home, we used to have a huge library filled with classics, modern works, foreign titles, and plenty of subscription magazines. My grandparents started and grew the library, and we frequently exchanged books with friends and neighbors. So, for me, a library was the most natural thing to have at home. And when, at some point, as a student, I moved out to live by myself, I found it quite strange and uncomfortable not to have immediate access to a large collection of books.

Today, I have my own library, built by scouting thrift stores, used bookshops, and online bookselling platforms. Sometimes, I buy new books, but more often, I seek out used ones, following the principles of sustainability and cost-effectiveness and the values I developed. I believe that by doing so, I honor the tradition of reusing and sharing books.

My fascination with trees runs just as deep. There’s always been something special about them—whether it’s the view of a park from my room or the sadness I felt seeing trees being cut down. I couldn’t understand why the park had to get rid of some of its lushest and greenest crowns. It felt wrong.

Now, I understand that it might have been necessary, but the feeling that tree cutting is wrong has lingered ever since, and watching trees ******** one of my favorite pastimes until today. At some point, I even started a blog where I collected and encouraged everyone to contribute beautiful images of trees and the stories behind them: About.Tree.Tops.

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BooksRun sells used trade and text books and plants trees for every book sold. Image Natalie Song

You may ask, why is it taking me four full paragraphs to get to the point? The thing is that with this background, I was lucky enough to work for a company that mirrors my values —

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. Established in 2014, BooksRun is an online platform that buys, sells, and rents used and new trade books and textbooks in the US and internationally. 

Initially, BooksRun wanted to address the notorious cost of textbooks and the financial challenges often faced by students. So, the company employed and promoted the idea of textbook reuse, which meant fewer books needed to be printed, fewer trees needed to be cut down, and fewer things ended up in landfills. Over time, they also expanded to include trade books in their collection but continued to stick to their business model.

I find it encouraging and inspiring that companies put book reuse at the center of their business. These companies choose to reuse instead of producing something new, and by doing so, they reduce all sorts of environmental threats, from the demand for new resources and materials to the creation of all sorts of waste.

Such a mindful and conscious approach aligns with my beliefs. While I am not an eco-activist, I strive to make mindful choices where I can and do things in my power. I also appreciate and respect businesses that balance profit with environmental and social responsibility.

That’s what BooksRun aims to do—give books another life, make affordable books accessible, and ensure that the entire process of book circulation is effective and eco-friendly. 

The times when you could start a business and just be a commercial enterprise have long gone, especially for a business that deals with books. So a company that does its best to offer affordable used books, recycle or donate those that can’t be used, utilize proper packaging, and recycle damaged books must be a good company, don’t you think?

BooksRun uses eco-friendly packaging to minimize waste. Most of the packaging includes paper, paper tape, or cardboard boxes—the bare minimum that’s required. Since they send and receive thousands of packages monthly, they try to follow the best disposal and recycling practices and encourage their customers to do the same. The books that can’t be reused for some reason are donated to charity (e.g., Books for Africа, The Salvation Army, Goodwill, Books Through Bars, Books for Soldiers, Better World Books, etc., as well as local libraries, churches, and retirement homes) or are recycled. 

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BooksRun sells used trade and text books and plants trees for every book sold. Image Natalie Song

What also truly impressed me is that BooksRun also contributes to tree-planting efforts worldwide. Yes, it literally helps

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. Together with  One Tree Planted, they offer customers participation in a program, where every order earns points. BooksRun awards 2 points for every $1 spent if customers buy or rent physical books or if they sell books to the company. Once a customer earns 200, 300, or 500 points, they can choose to donate these points to plant 5, 10, or 15 trees, respectively, and get a certificate of participation with the number of trees planted from One Tree Planted. So, the points are actually exchanged for real trees planted, translating each transaction into a tangible environmental impact. And this is another example of how Booksrun helps make books reusable.  

Basically, BooksRun gives you a chance to become a tree parent just because you make an order with them. It’s so simple yet so effective. I’ve been truly amazed by the number of trees this collective effort has brought—more than 25,000 trees were planted the last time I checked!

Finally, by being so detained with the description of the company’s services, my intention was to highlight that we can make conscious choices. If you need a book or want to give your old books a new life, consider BooksRun. Because of all the places to get books, you can choose one that doesn’t waste additional resources but also helps save trees. Because at BooksRun, they care about books and the planet.

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