Thursday, October 9, 2008

Malaprop's visit

So I went to Malaprop's Bookstore in Asheville last night. A huge crowd turned out. (At least huge for me, probably not so much if it was for John Grisham.) Probably about 30 people--and I didn't know a soul (even though two of them looked suspiciously like my parents; another like Dr. Wife, MD; two like my kids; and about 20 like Dr. Wife MD's co-workers and friends).

Lots of books were sold. One guy (who looked suspiciously like my dad) even bought 10 copies, telling the person at the register that he was purchasing them for his book club.

Good times were had by all, although I think the laughs were more at me than with me.

So what does Malaprop's do for the environment?
Quite a bit.
--They're in a great location, in downtown Asheville, so it's easy for people to walk, bike, or take the bus there. (You'll notice that's a common theme for a lot of independent bookstores--a huge environmental advantage.)
--They keep lighting to a minimum when the store is closed, to save on electricity.
--They use all compact fluorescent bulbs.
--They work very hard to reduce their waste in the store.
--They only give customers bags if they ask for them.
--The to-go cups they use in the cafe are biodegradeable.

On to Durham, NC today. And I'm bringin' my camera.