I get a lot of book tokens for Christmas, birthdays and the like - I read a lot so it's an easy option for a hard-to-buy-for kind of guy. But they have a habit of lurking in my wallet for months at a time, as I've got into the habit of buying second hand books. Buy books cheaply from charity shops and return them when I'm done - it's the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) all rolled into one, with a dose of charitable intentions thrown in for good measure.
The only flaw in my cunning plan is that pre-loved books don't just spontaneously appear in branches of Oxfam, they begin life as a tree in a forest somewhere. Large amounts of fresh virgin paper are required to keep the publishing industry running, and if the production of that paper is causing the destruction of large and ancient forests, those book tokens are going to remain where they are indefinitely.
Fortunately, many publishers are keen to improve their green credentials and one - HarperCollins - is so keen, the company conducted some research to find out if customers wanted more forest-friendly books. According to their survey, 42 per cent said they'd pay up to £1 more for green books, and 84 per cent said they'd choose a book printed on recycled paper over one that wasn't. Good news for our Book Campaign because if companies aren't persuaded by environmental arguments, then they'd be foolish not to listen to their customers.
In same breath that they announced the survey results, HarperCollins also said that in future its entire Fourth Estate imprint will be printed on 100 per cent recycled paper, as well as making commitments to reduce their carbon emissions. Ahead of that announcement came one from Penguin whose Popular Classics line will also be completely recycled by the autumn. And of course, the literary behemoth that is the final Harry Potter instalment will be entirely printed on paper that is a mixture of recycled or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). So even new books will be second hand, of sorts.
Not everyone is playing ball though and as I pointed out at the end of last year, we're still waiting for the largest publisher in this country, Hachette (who may be more recognisable from their imprints Hodder Headline, Orion and Octopus), to start changing their policies. But pressure from the rest of the industry is building.
A book's green credentials used to lurk inside beside the publication details, but I've recently seen some books proudly displaying FSC logos on the back cover by the barcode, so those publishers clearly think it will give them a competitive edge. I think I might finally be able to spend those book tokens with a clear conscience.
