People love our Library. They love the idea of community. Of sharing and making good quality items accessible to many people who might not otherwise be able to afford to buy them. Many understand but it also comes as a surprise to others the direct impact of our operation on each members personal contribution to climate change.
Everything we buy comes with an emissions cost.
From the extraction of the raw materials to the transport of these to places where manufacturing takes place to more transport to the places where they will be sold and more transport to the place they will be used to the emissions generated from their use while you have them to the end of life disposal of every item you throw out. Only the emissions generated while you are using items and an allowance for their disposal are counted in standard carbon calculators.
It’s easy to understand that the more often we replace items, the higher our personal footprint. And then there’s the inherent immorality of poorer countries being exploited so wealthy countries get cheaper and cheaper products made for our capitalist markets. If you haven’t seen it before now is the time to watch this 20 minute video from 2009 – 13 years ago – that inspired the formation of Mullum Cares and ultimately, the Library of Stuff.
Buy less, buy better quality, buy second hand, hire or borrow and you will reduce your contribution to Climate Change.
If you will need it for longer than a week or two every couple of months then buy one for yourself.
If your home wasn’t impacted a $50 annual membership is only $20 more than this piece of crap.
If you are having to replace flooring, walls, kitchens or furniture, chose options that will ensure you lose less next time it floods. Because it will.
Outdoor rooms are built to withstand the weather. There are a lot of tips to be gleaned in the pages of these mag’s. Follow Zero Emissions Byron on socials and sign up to their newsletter for ongoing information on rebuilding to be better placed for future weather events.
The Library is a project of Mullum Cares Incorporated.
Mullum Cares has announced a project intent on minimising future residential damage and loss by leading the charge to inspire and enable Byron Shire residents to rebuild with the next flood in mind. Register below for updates and follow Zero Emissions Byron (ZEB) on socials to read the first few blog posts on the topic.
Sasha Mainsbridge, Mullum Cares Project Manager is heading the project for Mullum Cares and also writes for ZEB.
The Library of Stuff is a game changer. Watch the Story of Solutions to see how.
The image below depicts the Safe and Just Space for Humanity in the context of resource consumption. It taken from Nature Communications journal article 3107 – Scientists’ warning on affluence by Wiedmann, T., Lenzen, M., Keyßer, L.T. et al. Scientists’ warning on affluence. Nat Commun 11, 3107 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16941-y
