Trying to go green? Don’t forget the library

I work from home, which actually means I work from coffee shops, park benches and, yes, from my bed, wearing pajamas.

I also work from libraries. I have fond memories of visiting the downtown Bellingham Public Library as a young kid, and then going back there again as a teen to do research for papers and toil away on homework.

Wherever I have lived … Portland … Boston … and now Spokane, applying for my public library card is one of the first things I check off my to-do list after moving.

Using libraries is also very green, you know. And frugal, too. I love a house full of books, but I can’t afford to own copies of all my favorite hardbacks. Libraries make it possible to be surrounded by books without spending a dime (well, minus taxes and late fees).

Besides books, I also use the library to rent DVDs for my kids to watch and books on CD for them to hear.

I’m writing this from a Spokane County Library District branch right now and am sitting close to the magazines, so I think I’ll conduct a little experiment. Give me 20 minutes to flip through the craft and home decor mags, and I’m going to jot down articles I would have gladly paid to read.

Set your timer. Ready. Set. Go!

1. From Martha Stewart Living:

How to paint unique house numbers on your home

How to create a rotating art display in a child’s room

2. From Sunset:

How to give your kitchen cabinets a facelift

3. From Mother Earth News:

How to make a bloody Mary using tomatoes from your garden

4. From Better Homes & Gardens:

DIY fall decorating projects using objects from nature

5. From Create & Decorate:

How to make a glittered bird and nest from shredded book pages (just make sure you’re not using a library book)

6. From Crafts’n’Things:

How to sew a scrappy owl ornament or pillow

OK! As you can see, I couldn’t find online links to all of the articles that caught my eye. That means one thing: head to your local library to check out the magazines (and books and DVDs, etc.) yourself.