Book Recycling
The inspiration behind website Green Metropolis came about when founder Barry Crow moved from Newcastle upon Tyne to London. He downsized from a 4-bedroom house to a 1-bedroom flat and found that he had literally hundreds of books accumulated over the years, which had to be given away.
Barry continued, “Whenever possible, I tried to buy my books from charity shops or second-hand book shops, however trying to find a book I actually wanted to read was difficult and any recent releases had to be bought new.
The key behind GreenMetropolis.com was to create a community of readers who were prepared to recycle books by buying, reading and selling on their books via a website.
“I searched the Internet and realised that a comprehensive second-hand book website didn’t exist. So I started planning GreenMetropolis.com. In addition, it seemed that no other website, including market leaders Amazon, had found an ethical way of recycling books and as well as offering much the same service as a bookshop. “
Without wanting to take profit away from charity shops, Barry felt that the incorporation of a charity donation was absolutely vital to make the site work.
“The book industry places a tremendous impact on the natural environment, so I thought it was only logical that GreenMetropolis.com donate a percentage of all book sales to The Woodland’s Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity.”
The site already has a loyal customer base, with the database of books to buy increasing everyday. Barry concludes, “Entering the dot-com world is a risky business, but I hope it will change the way people buy books and encourage them to read more. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.”
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