You may or may not know that April is Earth Month. In fact, April 22 is Earth Day. And I realize living green isn’t always a writerly interest, but I think it should be.

A while back, Rebecca – the fantabulous Aussie gal who owns Writer’s Round-About – and I were chatting away and I mentioned something about how much paper I felt I was wasting because I print every clip of my work when it’s published—and every single query or rejection letter I receive via e-mail.

Rebecca urged me to take advantage of electronic storage. Of course, I’m a hands-on kind of gal. I want to hold and touch my work—not just look at it on a computer screen. But the more I thought about what Rebecca said, the more I knew in my heart it made sense. Why waste trees when I really didn’t have to.

There are many ways to save our work
(as Rebecca recommended during our discussion):

• e-mail
• computer
• external hard drive
• flash drive
• PDF files
• Online storage systems
• etc.

As long as you are faithful in backing up your work you’ll always have access to it—and you’ll be saving trees and our beautiful environment while you’re at it!

Other ways writers can honor Earth Month:

1. Recycle. There are a lot of times writers simply must print out either their work or something to do with it—like a query letter. During those times, recycle any paper that doesn’t get sent off (like if you proofread and need to print out a new copy). You can also recycle other things (like: glass, cans, etc.) and/or buy recycled or used office equipment.
2. Eat local and green. The more produce you eat, the happier our environment will be. If you eat at your desk, be sure to keep plenty of fresh veggies and fruit available so you can grab ‘em when you need ‘em. Make yourself a big salad for lunch or dinner and top with your choice of protein. Just because you’re a busy business owner, doesn’t mean you have to live on coffee from the café around the corner and donuts.
3. Buy e-books or invest in a Kindle. Electronic books are all the rage these days. It seems writers and authors of all genres are publishing more electronically than ever before. And if you travel a lot, what better way to catch the latest New York Times Best Seller or keep up with the your favorite author? It’s eco-friendly reading!
4. Cover up or open the windows. Freelancers spend a great deal of time at home. Sometimes it’s tempting to keep ourselves super cool in the hotter months or cozy warm in the winter. Why not add an extra layer of clothes in the winter and invite in the breeze during summer? Not only is it actually healthier for us but you’ll be walking lighter on Mother Earth!
5. Support your local library. You may be tempted to splurge every time a new Writer’s Market or novel comes out—but you don’t have to. Simply make your library a new hangout and take advantage of all the many books and magazines they offer. Most even have computers and wireless Internet!

You could also use Google Notebook or makes notes on your BlackBerry or iPhone instead of wasting a lot of paper for to-do lists and reminders.

How do you live a green-writer lifestyle? What eco-friendly freelance business tips have you considered? And did you even know there was such a thing as Earth Day or Earth Month? Give me the dirt!

Photo Credit: Salvatore Vuono