Book Donation Calculator: Your Clear-Out’s Carbon Saving
Every book that is read again, instead of thrown away and printed new, saves carbon. Tap what you’re giving below to see roughly what your book clear-out could save. Then book a free doorstep book collection and make it happen.
- Takes seconds
- Cautious estimates
- Free doorstep collection
Behind the numbers
How we work it out
The calculator covers books and the media we collect alongside them, such as DVDs and CDs. Here is how it gets from your shelves to a carbon figure.
We turn what you give into kilos
A full bag of books is taken as 7.5 kg. A paperback counts as 0.25 kg, a hardback as 0.6 kg, a children’s book as 0.3 kg, and a cookbook or large illustrated book as 1 kg. A DVD or CD in its case counts as 0.1 kg. Books are heavy, and a well-filled bag often weighs more, so this keeps the answer on the low side.
We work out what reading them again saves
For every kilo of books and media reused instead of made new, we count 1 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent. This is our own estimate, and it is the same figure we use across our website.
We put it into everyday terms
An average car gives off about 0.27 kg of CO2e a mile (UK government conversion factors). Distances between places are approximate road miles.
What does CO2e mean?
Carbon dioxide equivalent. Making paper, printing and moving books releases several greenhouse gases, and CO2e adds them up as the amount of carbon dioxide that would warm the planet by the same amount.
Why are DVDs and CDs included?
We collect films and music on disc as well as books, and they are often cleared from the same shelves. A disc in its case is light, so it adds a little to your total rather than a lot.
Why “estimated”?
Every book is different, from a slim paperback to a heavy atlas, so no calculator can be exact. We would rather understate what you save than overstate it, so we use cautious weights throughout.
Make it count
How to make your saving bigger
- Give books in good condition, not marked, stamped or drawn in. They are the ones that find new readers.
- Check the whole house: cookbooks in the kitchen, picture books in the children’s rooms, novels on the bedside table.
- Look under the TV too. Films on DVD and music on CD can go in the same collection.
- Keep discs in their cases, so they can be played and enjoyed again.
- Pack books in strong bags or boxes a driver can lift on their own. Several lighter loads are better than one that splits.
Most of the books we collect are read again. Those that can’t be are pulped and made into recycled paper, which is far better than the tip. Not sure what to include? See what books can I donate?, read why reading a book again beats printing a new one on how donating books helps the planet, or find out why old books shouldn’t go in the bin. When you’re ready, book a free collection.
Sources
- Saving per kilo: our own estimate of 1 kg of CO2e for each kilo of books and media reused instead of made new, used across our site.
- Car emissions: UK government greenhouse gas conversion factors for company reporting (average car).
Ready to donate your books?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.