Sustainability: General Resources
RCLS: A Certified Sustainable Organization
RCLS is proud to be the third library system in the country to become certified as sustainable through the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program, facilitated by the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI). Click here to learn more about the SLI.
Articles of Interest
The Cost of Reading: The Book Industry's Carbon Footprint by Senjuti Para, February 10, 2022. Book Riot.
IPCC Report: Climate Change Could Soon Outpace Humanity's Ability to Adapt by Kiley Price, February 28, 2022. IPCC.
How to Recycle Your Old Running Shoes and Apparel by Morgan Tilton, March 21, 2022. Runner's World.
- Sustainability in Libraries: A Call to ActionSustainability Briefing, Spring 2022. American Library Association
Podcasts
What better way to stay up-to-date on the ever evolving nature of sustainability than a podcast? If you have suggestions to add to this list, please contact Joanna Goldfarb (jgoldfarb@rcls.org)
Feed: A Food System Podcast
Debates about the future of food have become more polarised than ever - and little attention is paid to why people hold genuinely different views. This podcast aims to fill this gap by exploring the evidence, worldviews, and values that people bring to global food system debates.
The Guardian's12-part series on climate change
This series follows the editor-in-chief of the Guardian as his team takes up the fight against climate change.
Sustainability Defined
Each episode of our podcast focuses on a single topic that pushes sustainability forward. We explain each topic with the help of an experienced pro, place it within our organizational tree, and help our listeners define what exactly sustainability is, episode by episode.
Continuing Education
Professional development opportunities produced by RCLS may be accessed via the RCLS YouTube Channel.
Some presenters agreed to have their webinars recorded, but not made public on YouTube. Those webinars are only accessible through a direct link sent by an RCLS consultant, or through this LibGuide.
Search WebJunction for "Sustainability" webinars: https://www.webjunction.org/
To access archived webinars from a variety of providers on different topics, please visit the RCLS Online Professional Development Opportunities guide.
Local Resources
- Orange County: Recycle Coach AppLearn about the Recycle Coach app and how it can help determine what types of materials are recyclable in your area.
- Sustainable Hudson ValleyFrom the website:
Sustainable Hudson Valley’s mission is to speed up, scale up, jazz up and leverage progress against climate change, creating communities where people and nature thrive. - Repair Cafe Hudson ValleyRepair Cafe of the Hudson Valley & Catskills is a consortium of program organizers who support the work of repair in their communities. All events take place under the umbrella of a host or sponsoring organization in each town.
- Webinar Recording: How to Start a Repair CafeHosted by Repair Cafe Hudson Valley on 9/18/23
- Recycle Right New YorkKnow before you throw, New York! The NYS Recyclopedia is an encyclopedia for recycling and so much more. It’s a search tool and guide that provides reduction, reuse, and recycling instructions for more than 300 common household items.
Sample Policies
Sample Sustainability Policies
Sample Purchasing Policies