But I'm sure it's nothing like that--just me making a bad connection.

This is SUCH an amazing operation--truly a good service that does good.  I bought three used books today for $20 total that would have cost $150 new; the shipping is free, and I paid a tiny bit extra to zero out the carbon from the shipping.  Great place to look for books!  And look where the money goes . . . promoting literacy in the third world.
===============

 About BetterWorld

A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are
still thinking.
-Jerry Seinfeld

We agree with Jerry. We're real people, we run a bookstore, and we've
been thinking.

Funding Literacy

We've been thinking about some people we're proud to know. People like John Wood, the founder of Room to Read. John quit Microsoft in 1998 to start building libraries in rural Nepal. 8 years later, he is building libraries in poor, rural villages with the "scalability of Starbucks and the compassion of Mother Theresa." John has written a book about his journey called Leaving Microsoft to Save the World. We have over 100,000 books for sale that were collected to benefit Room to Read.

We love literacy programs like Room to Read, Books for Africa, Worldfund, National Center for Family Literacy, and our 70 other literacy partners. They provide the building blocks for children and families to learn, grow, and share in the vast collection of human knowledge committed to paper. It just makes sense that a bookstore ought to generate funding for these programs. BetterWorld.com does that with every book we sell.

The Environment

One book that really got us thinking was The Ecology of Commerce, by Paul Hawken. Paul argues that a true economy mimics ecology and rebuilds rather than destroys. It produces no waste, no toxic byproducts and it is simply more expensive to pollute. In a perfect world, we'd package your books in indestructible hemp pouches and load them into Willie Nelson's BioDiesel bus, where he'd hand deliver them and sing you a song or two. We aren't quite there yet, but we've got a few things we think you'll like.

First off, we got in touch with a very smart engineer from Carnegie Mellon who has studied the environmental impacts that other e-commerce bookstore. We asked him, how can we do it better? That led to the invention of an e-commerce first: the Carbon Neutral Shopping Cart. No more global warming emissions weighing down our operations! Working with Carbonfund.org, the leading non-profit provider of carbon offsets, we collect a few cents from every customer at checkout. The proceeds from this carbon offset are enough to purchase renewable energy credits and support reforestation. We not only to offset our shipping, but also the shipping of our literacy partners. And since we sell a lot of books, that is enough to keep tons of carbon out of the atmosphere.

Ever notice how your Postman/woman has great legs? That's because they do a lot of walking! National Postal Services use the lowest energy per package out of any delivery carrier, therefore generate the least carbon in the first place. We use local post offices whenever we can - be sure to choose eco-shipping on checkout.

Of course, we feel our greatest contribution is finding a second home for all these books. We've heard too many horror stories about libraries having to dump discarded books down a well at midnight because they couldn't find a good home for them. We accept books from libraries like this and work our hardest to find new homes for them. So far, we've kept over 5 million pounds of books out of landfills.

Real People

We've been thinking about how being a "virtual store" gives a lot of companies an excuse to "minimize" the costs of chatting with customers. We think you're a little too important for that. We're a bunch of real people in Mishawaka, IN. E-mail us (help@betterworld.com), we'll shoot you an e-mail right back. Even to silly questions like, "do you have any good books on beekeeping?" (the answer is yes.)

We treat you like we'd like to be treated ourselves, so that means: 1. your order normally leaves the warehouse less than 24 hours after we receive it. If there are delays, we'll keep you updated via e-mail. 2. 100% no questions asked returns. Our used books are normally in pretty good shape, but sometimes a bad apple slips through. Just let us know and we'll take care of you. 3. We'll always help you out, no matter how unusual the request. Shipping to Inner Mongolia? We'll go find a yak.

Triple Bottom Line

As this is the bottom of the page, it's a good time to talk about our bottom line. Most businesses answer to their shareholders. We answer first to our stakeholders. These are our employees, our literacy partners, our customers, and the environment. We've built a new kind of business model that takes a more holistic approach. We hope you'll visit our parent site, Better World Books to read about our story and learn how to get involved. Together, we truly can build a Better World.

The 5% Project

Two things make it great:  

First, it's the only such mall that I know with a sizeable section of eco-friendly stores (places like Abundant Earth, Mother Nature, Sierra Club, Only Natural Pet Store, etc.).

Second, everything bought at HEARTof.com earns a significant donation for the shopper's chosen cause.  I mean, why just buy a gift, when you can buy a gift and help fund a good cause too?  

Frank T. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. Founder and CEO, HEARTof.com Why just shop? Shop and help your favorite cause!

So, speaking as a friend - a fan even, it would be a terrible dereliction of my responsibilities not to point out that profligate consumption, especially American style, is arguably nestled at the root of the worst threats to the world's environment and the very continuation of a great many species, homo sapians among them.

For Grist to promote the Christmas consumerist frenzy is suicidally depressing.  Really, if Grist can't get it together, then there's certainly no hope left for the rest of us and i may as well throw myself into the compost heap.

i know we all have to pay our bills, and i can only guess that things in the Grist households aren't on the conspicuously consumptive side of the fence.  But surely Grist can do better than make a play to elbow its way to the front of everyone's list of things to buy that they don't need and that all said, the world will live better for if they don't get, either.

Not that any specific item Grist would endorse is biohazardous plastic made from baby walrus blubber, it's just the provenance of the idea.

Further, America is being transformed into nothing more than an excuse for credit cards.  American consumption drives the world economy to the point that every working American currently owes an average 18.7% of their gross income to some bank as service for consumer debt, through one channel or another.  America's industries and professional jobs are being shipped overseas at a sickening rate so that we can be enslaved by debt.

We're never going to make any progress until we get a grip on our consumption.  Great Googly-Moogly, don't be encouraging people to shop and buy more stuff.

Peace,

billy rainbow

We have a great christmas promo going on with free gift wrapping and a box of chocolates with every purchase.

Do drop by.

Thank you

Make room for art in your life

I agree:  Consumerism is destroying us!  And without a  persistent movement to limit and redirect our consumption in rational ways, and to protect the environment, we are doomed.

In developing www.HEARTof.com, which as I've already mentioned in this thread is an online mall of over 600 stores where every purchase earns a significant donation for the shopper's favorite cause, I have puzzled over the issue of consumerism and the apparent contradition with a mall like www.HEARTof.com.  

Here is my current thinking on the problem. We have to work toward a limited and redirected system of consumption, but we also have to recognize that people are going to buy stuff.  And while we shouldn't encourage them to buy more than they need, there is nothing wrong with helping them to use their buying to support worthy causes -- schools, environmental groups and the like.  I like to think of an online mall like www.HEARTof.com as a mechanism for taxing big retailers to fund we who are their environmental, peace and justice opponents.  

Maybe I'm wrong.  I'd like to know what you think.

Frank


Frank T. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. Founder and CEO, HEARTof.com Why just shop? Shop and help your favorite cause!

IFAW, The International Fund For Animal Welfare, works globally to help save animals and their habitats worldwide. They have a great gift site!

www.animalgift.org

Their gift program works like this:
"Honor family and friends this holiday season with a special gift from IFAW that makes the world a better place for animals. Make your gifts really count this year by supporting IFAW's work to save Canada's baby seals, rescue and release orphaned bear cubs, protect endangered elephants from poaching, and much more. With a unique gift to help an animal in need, you can give something meaningful to the animal lover in your life and make a difference long after the holiday season ends."

"We have five different animal programs to choose from and gift ideas that will suit any budget. With each gift, you'll receive a special gift card to sign, a color brochure describing the animal you're helping and a free desktop animal calendar. It's the alternative gift that gives twice: once to a friend or loved one and then again to an animal in need."

It is a wonderful way to give a gift!!!!

Cheers,
Juliet

The holidays are always a source of stress for me for this reason and a multitude of others.  Although it's a bit pricey, last year I purchased my parents a subscription to a CSA.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it is a great way to have access to high quality local produce at a reasonable price through a subscription service (although you pay for it upfront, which we're a little unaccustomed to in our credit card overrun society).  The receiver either picks up or has a box of produce delivered to them.  Google CSA + your area for options.  Many farms offer one month subscriptions which are cheaper than whole season subscriptions if you want to test the waters, so to speak.

Happy friggin holidays.

Check out the site at http://intelligentinsights.amazonherb.net. There are neat gift sets for the holidays, and you can learn about the company as well as the other products. I recommend the healthy vegan chocolate and the wellness pack! The products are great for animals as well, I use them for my cats and we have set up our cat shelter as a distributor for fundraising.

I became so impressed with the company's values, mission and products that I quickly became a distributor. (I've never before done this type of business and wasn't looking for anything like it!) So this is partly shameless self-promotion, but I really believe in what this company is about and want to share with other eco-conscious folks.

Thanks!

You should definitely check this site out!

Here are some ideas for gifts that anyone -- green lover or not -- would want for the holidays. Buy them at GreenHome.com!!

Hybrid solar iPod and cellphone charger, Solio
Freeplay Emergency Radio & Flashlight Kit
Organic & Natural Bath and Beauty Products
Fashionable Organic cotton and hemp clothes
Recycled Glass Champagne Flutes
Organic Spa Robes
Green Baby Clothes and Toys
Green Art Supplies
Natural Yoga Mat and Stylish Yoga Mat Bag

Cheers! Natasha Stuart Green Product Guru

Shameless marketing but still good advice coming.

A great green gift that has not been mentioned are organic fruit baskets. They are not only naturally green and delicious but they expose your friends and family to organic alternatives to their everyday day fruit.

Check out the organic fruit gifts section on Fresh Fruit Baskets http://www.freshfruitbaskets.com

Tons of variety, decent prices and good customer service.