Maximising our Positive Impact

Like any action, borrowing can have unintended consequences. None of these diminish the significant carbon and cost-savings nor the wonderful community interactions we all see every week in our projects, but nonetheless anyone running a Library of Things can take action to minimise potential harms, freeing up time and energy to focus on all the good stuff.

The problem:

An individual driving to a Library of Things to collect or return an item might reduce the carbon savings they’ve made by borrowing instead of buying.

The solution:

You might not have much control over where you are based but if possible, should aim to locate your Library of Things in an area with high footfall and/or good public transport.  If this is not possible, consider a regular pop-up in an alternative venue to make active travel easier for people collecting or returning their items.  Another option is to offer door-to-door delivery using a low-carbon form of transport - some LoTs use an e-van or electric cargo bike.  Check out our mobile toolkit or speak to one of the Benthyg Cymru team for advice on where to start.

The problem:

Some gardening activities such as cutting grass and hedges excessively can be harmful to the ecosystem.

The solution:

We can all remind borrowers in our marketing materials to be mindful of initiatives such as ‘No Mow May’ and not to cut hedges during nesting season by asking them to show their support for the environment by borrowing alternative items instead. Don’t forget to use our communications toolkit for templates you can easily adapt to whatever message you want to put out to your borrowers.  

The problem:

Pressure washers are more accessible thanks to LoTs but the water they use might offset some of the carbon savings created by borrowing.

The solution:

You can include a tag on pressure washers reminding borrowers to be mindful of their water usage.  Pressure washer accessories (such as a patio brush) can minimise water consumption.  

What other ways can you think of to keep borrowing as low-cost and low-carbon as possible to offset any risks of harm?

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Let the Benthyg Cymru know about any actions you’ve taken to keep borrowing even more environmentally-friendly, so we can share more good ideas around the network.

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