Go Camping with a Kindle

Vacation was finally here, and I was going through my final checklist to make sure we had everything we needed. Of course, you are always going to forget something, and typically, you could run out and get it, but when you are headed to the mountains for 5 days of camping and hiking, that may not be the best plan.

As I went through my list, I was able to check everything off with ease until I got to #9.

1. Tent
2. Air Mattress
3. Sleeping Bags
4. Backpack
5. Cooler (food is on a different list)
6. Lantern
7. Stove, butane, and cooking/serving accessories
8. Clothes and shoes/boots
9. Books

Ok, so which book(s) do I want to read? Will I still be interested in the same book I packed when I get there or will I go through the never ending wishful thinking of "why didn't I bring the other book?" Once I realized that the solution was staring me in the face, a huge smile graced my lips as if I had figured out one of the world's greatest problems. Well ok, maybe not that huge, but you get where I am going with my excitement. I realized that I had all of my favorites already loaded on my Kindle and marked through the word Books and wrote in the word Kindle, and all was good.

Given that my Kindle weighs a little over 10 ounces, my backpack just became lighter and roomier considering I wasn't going to have to bring 3 of my bulky books with me, that I may or may not have read. I started to worry about battery life, but realized the battery would last over a week without wireless access, which would get me through the entire trip. I already had a rechargeable booklight and a fancy little solar charger (this is really cool) just in case.

Solutions to life's little problems are always staring us in the face if we take the time to look. My vacation was phenomenal. We camped, hiked, enjoyed the outdoors, and I was able to read almost 3 books on my trip. I even loaded a copy of Haunted Heritage: A Definitive Collection of North American Ghost Stories, just in case I was called upon for a campfire story or two. Verwy Scarwy! Have a great time on your next trip to the great outdoors!

Kindle vs. Recycling

I was watching the show "Ax Men" on the History Channel the other day and was floored as to how many trees are cut down during each episode, which I know pales in comparison to what is cut down everyday by those in the industry. But, it got me thinking about how inefficient the world, more particularly the United States, still is when it comes to recycling paper. While recycling has increased year over year, we still have a lot more that we can do.

I know that everyone has a choice about whether or not they want to take the time to recycle or not, and it may seem easier for some than others, meaning you have curbside recycling services provided by your community vs. whether you have to drive to a drop off center. Hopefully, more and more people realize the impact making the right choice, that to recycle, can have in the long run.

Some of the other ideas people have had regarding recycling magazines and newspapers are

• Ask magazine producers if they print on recycled paper and cancel your subscription if they don't
• Ask newspaper manufacturers if they use recycled paper to produce your favorite pages and cancel your subscription if they don't.

While these are good ideas, I am not sure how passionate people will be about canceling their magazine and/or newspaper subscriptions if they aren't printed on recycled paper as much as I hope they are. Regardless, I have an idea for you. Buy a Kindle and have your favorite magazine and/or newspapers delivered directly to it. Poof! Now you have the best of both worlds. You still get to enjoy your favorite reading materials AND there is no need to recycle any paper. You have helped the environment, saved a tree, and made yourself happy.

This same thought process applies to books as well. I typically bought paperbacks because they were cheaper. As you know, books are typically released in hardback version first and then made into paperbacks after a certain time frame. Because of this, my bookshelves are filled with many, many paperbacks that I will probably not read again. While the quantity of books on my shelves may be impressive to visitors because they think I am really smart because I always say, "Why, yes I have read all of these books!" the books are really doing nothing but taking up space. (I am sure my friends aren't thinking I am really smart, but one has to dream, don't they?) Regardless, my point is, I never recycled the books or traded them in for others. Instead, I went out and bought more books, paid for more trees to be cut down, and didn't really think about how my choices may or may not affect the environment. Now, I just buy electronic books (ebooks) and have them delivered directly to my Kindle. No fuss, no mess, environmentally friendly.

Make a change. Make a difference. Buy a Kindle.


Interested in Kindle Books or Magazines and Newspaper Subscriptions?



Sources: Conservatree and American Forest and Paper Association