The Ten Minute Activist
Easy Ways to Take Back the Planet
Books on the Loose
Read an earth-shattering, life-altering book lately? Maybe it was Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers or Eric Darton's Free City. This time, instead of displaying it prominently on your shelf with all the other literary statements, why don't you release it back into the wild where it can work its magic on more people?
In the past, literary activists would just leave their books in public places such as cafés or on train seats. But what happened next? Did the book get picked up by a backpacker en route to Tierra del Fuego? Did it shatter destructive illusions instilled in a child's mind? Happily, there's now an organization that can reveal the secret world of recycled books.
Established by Ron Hornbaker in 2001, bookcrossing.com will register your book and give you an ID number. Then, once the book is "tagged" with instructions for the next owner, you can plant your literary gem anywhere and track its progress as each successive finder posts comments and reactions to the book on the website. With over 450,000 members worldwide and three million books currently registered in the catch and release program, it's a kinder, more literate way to spread the word about important causes, and also have the thrill of tracking your book.
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