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Sustainability Values
Since our founding 40 years ago, Lilydale Books has been committed to environmental responsibility. We continuously evaluate our practices to identify opportunities for reducing our carbon footprint. In addition, we actively engage with our educational suppliers, offering feedback and encouraging improvements in areas such as packaging, the use of recycled paper, and minimising plastic wrapping.
Here is a snapshot of some of the practices implemented at Lilydale Books that embrace our vision of operating as a sustainable business:
We're committed to minimising waste and using resources efficiently across all areas of our business.
Orders are packed using appropriately sized boxes to reduce excess packaging and school deliveries are consolidated into single, clearly labelled boxes rather than individually wrapped items. To cut down on paper use, we encourage schools to direct parents to view and purchase Booklists through our website.
In our office, we reduce general waste by using reusable containers, cups, and crockery, and follow a “nude food” approach to minimise unnecessary packaging. Additionally, our warehouses are equipped with solar panels to help lower our carbon emissions.
At Lilydale Books, we’re passionate about giving books a second life. While we've discontinued our in-store second-hand book service, we proudly continue to support second-hand buying and selling days at participating schools or through Sustainable School Shop.
To further reduce waste, we encourage customers to return their brown paper bags for reuse. We’ve eliminated plastic bags entirely and instead offer reusable Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) bags, with all proceeds going to support their important work. For those who prefer not to purchase a bag, we provide paper bags or cardboard boxes. Additionally, we repurpose quality cardboard boxes for packing and storage wherever possible.
At Lilydale Books, we take a comprehensive approach to sustainability in our day-to-day operations. We've implemented an office-wide recycling and composting system, repurpose furniture whenever possible, and donate quality items to local charities like the Brotherhood of St Laurence.
We prioritise purchasing from socially responsible suppliers, including Micador’s “green eARTH” range and Who Gives a Crap, whose 100% recycled toilet paper supports global sanitation initiatives.
Even our packaging reflects our values — from biodegradable Envirofill to recyclable boxes, paper bags, packing tape, and Quikpaks, we strive to minimise waste at every level.