Book Alternatives

Digital Resources

Kindles

• The 11th-generation Kindle was released in 2024 and has been designed to be compact, efficient, and has been manufactured with sustainability in mind. It has been made from 75% recycled plastics, 90% recycled magnesium, and 99% of this device's packaging is made of wood fibre-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. It is fully wireless and does not require a computer to download any content, making it user-friendly. This specific Kindle only takes 2 hours to charge, with its battery life lasting up to 6 weeks, which reduces energy consumption. This Kindle is £104.00 without ads, making it one of the cheapest and most sustainable options for digital readers.

• The Remarkable Paper Pro tablet is a portable tablet that is designed to be remarkably slim and paper-like. It provides users with the combined ability to hand write, convert written text to type text, draw, and read on, making it extremely versatile. The manufacturers at Remarkable are working hard to make their products more sustainable, with the outer material used for the Book and Type Folios being 100% recycled polyester. The battery in this new tablet is made from 50% recycled cobalt, which roughly contributes to a 31% reduction in cobalt production emissions. The antenna slot in reMarkable Paper Pro has also been designed with 35% recycled plastic, and while this means only 4.6% of the plastic in the device is recycled, it contributes to reducing the overall production emissions. This device starts at £389 and goes up to £559, so it is a more luxurious, high-end product. Compared to Kindle, although the Remarkable has more features, it reportedly only has a 2-week battery life, and with the high price tag, this would have to be down to personal preference. Both e-readers appear to be implementing extensive changes in their manufacturing processes to ensure their products are more sustainable, with improvements still being made which is why they have both made our Book Alternatives list.

• Using your mobile phone for reading offers convenience due to its compact size and data usage. There are many websites you can use for reading on your mobile device, such as Apple Books if you have an iPhone, the Kindle bookstore can also be used on iPhone, iPad, and Android, and Audible, which is an audiobook platform, can be used across all smartphones, tablets, Kindles, MP3 players, and computers making it more versatile than Apple Books. There are also websites, such as XigXag, which offer users the ultimate listening and reading experience and can be used across multiple devices. XigXag books have 0.21% the carbon footprint of a paperback, no trees are harmed in the production of their books, none of their books will end up in landfill, and they have an innovative pricing model that allows everyone to enjoy more books affordably and without subscriptions.

  If you decide to shop for a new Kindle, e-reader or tablet, consider its sustainability: check for eco-friendly materials, certifications of approval, recyclability, packaging, and the environmental impact of the entire manufacturing and distribution process. Ask yourself if the environmental cost justifies the purchase, and if you decide to buy, opt for a newer, longer-lasting model that has recyclable materials like the ones we have listed for you.

  Also, explore trade-in and recycling options for your old devices such as the Amazon Trade-in program, Donate Charity who accept old devices and gift them to families and schools in need or Page Turner Books which has already donated over 4,236 Kindles and 3,431 e-books to students in need. Also, consider researching your local recycling centres that process electronics as many materials can be recycled.

  However, if these options are not for you, don’t despair! There are many more options online, and if you keep reading, we have some additional resources for those of you who really do love a paperback.

Resources for Paperback Lovers

We know buying books brand new is wonderful; It is a fun experience visiting your local bookstore, you support your beloved author with royalties from your purchase, the book is in wonderful condition, and nothing beats that new book smell!

However, here at New Chapter, Same Story, we believe that reading is a necessity and buying books brand new is a luxury. This mentality towards book buying has come from our passion for sustainability combined with our love for reading.

So, we have found a middle ground that allows fellow book lovers to enjoy their favourite stories in paperback whilst keeping sustainability in mind!

First on our list is Biblio.

• Biblio is the largest independent book marketplace in the world, with over 100 million books of varying qualities. Their website allows you to search for the author, book title, and ISBN to make your book hunting even more seamless. They have a ‘rare books’ section for collectors and the option for you to sign up as a seller if you’d like to sell old books of your own. This is an incredible option for book lovers as it enables you to purchase paperback books, but more sustainably as it reduces waste with no books ending up in landfills, conserves resources as they aren’t being made brand new, and minimises the environmental impact of production.

• Similar to Biblio is World of Books which we have discussed in another section of our website. However, as you’re here, World of Books is another online second-hand book retailer that allows you to purchase and sell second-hand books. It is the UK’s largest online second-hand book retailer and is an additional option if you don’t like the look of Biblio. The sustainability benefits are the same as the ones listed above for Biblio.

• If you want to support a charity whilst buying books second-hand, then Oxfam is for you! Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent non-governmental organizations (NGOs), focusing on the alleviation of global poverty and creating a more inclusive world. They fight for female and gender justice, clean water for all, food for all, climate change and poverty alleviation. So, when you buy a book from Oxfam, you aren’t just treating yourself to an exciting new read, but you’re also supporting this incredible charity who are working towards a more sustainable and inclusive future for all.

These three options are the most sustainable and considerate options you can choose from when looking to buy a brand-new book. However, if you do decide to purchase a book brand new then we would like to encourage you to make sure you take care of your new book and when you are finished with it, please either donate it, gift it, or recycle it at an appropriate recycling centre that will ensure it doesn’t end up in landfills. This way, you're thinking of the planet and contributing toward a more sustainable future.