WHat is Petals & pages?
With Petals & Pages, I aim to help restore the carbon emissions caused by over-consumption of books. I will sell used books along with flowers in hopes of helping people enjoy two of the coziest hobbies: gardening and reading.
What Inspired Me to Start:
I have a love for both gardening and reading, so I wanted to show why this project matters to me.
A Love for Reading
My love for reading began two years ago on a trip to Palm Springs. I always hated reading prior to this trip, but I found a good book that I could actually enjoy. The following year I was placed in a new environment and I had a tough time adjusting, but reading was always there to keep me company. Many of the people that I know who enjoy reading would agree that it's a great hobby which you can carry with you anywhere you go.
A Love for Gardening
Growing up, my parents kept a garden in our front yard. I will always remember watering the roses with my dad, and how it was an easy way for us to spend time together. My grandma also keeps a garden and she would always send me out to pick flowers and arrange bouquets. It was something I enjoyed doing, and it helped spruce up the house.
Petals & Pages Purpose:
Petals & Pages is a passion project that I started in hopes of promoting re-used books and gardening. It may sound like a somewhat strange combination, but when taking a deeper dive into the statistics, you'll notice just why I tried to combine these.
The Statistics:
Before I started researching more about books and gardening, I already knew some of their pros and cons, but when taking a deeper dive into the statistics, I was shocked to say the least.
The Issue of Publication
Every year, around 900 million books are published, and 320 million of them end up in landfill sites. Excessive publication of books leads to over 40 million tons of carbon dioxide in the US alone. Clearly, there is an issue.
Personal Effects of Gardening
Gardening has many beneficial effects for not only the ecosystem, but yourself too. It can be a lot of work, but it's a great exercise. Gardening has many more physical affects such as increased Vitamin D production, increased serotonin production, improved diet, minimizes exposure to pesticides, and provides anti-inflammatory effects. Gardening's mental benefits include, but are not limited to, reduced risk of stress-related diseases, improved brain function, providing people with a purpose, and teaching resilience.
Affects of Reading on the Brain
Reading being a form of entertainment isn't the only reason to promote it. Reading can be very good for the brain by improving its memory function and by allowing it to operate more effectively as you age. It can also enhance connectivity in the brain. It promotes relaxation and reduces stress, improves sleep, and can potentially decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's. These benefits are mainly caused by reading paper-back books, which further accentuates the purpose of keeping paper-back books alive.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN PETALS & PAGES:
My friend offered me the idea of creating a take-a-book leave-a-book and leaving flowers or seed packets by it. A great way to promote Petals & Pages on your own would be by building your own take-a-book leave-a-book and leaving flowers or seed packets with it. If others do this, I think it would be a great way to further help my cause.
Podcast:
In my podcast, I interview Julie Mathiasen to hopefully learn a little bit more about gardening. Mrs. Julie works for The Heal Project, which focuses on teaching kids where their food comes from, and why it matters. I, myself grew up going to The Heal Project's summer camps when I was little, and how inspiring it was. I learned lots about gardening, and became excited to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Book Recommendations:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
By Holly Jackson
Everyone in Fairview knows the story.
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.
But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?
Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
By Stephen Chbosky
standing on the fringes of life...
offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see
what it looks like from the dance floor.
This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being A WALLFLOWER
This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that the perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.
Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.
One of Us is Lying
By Karen M. McManus
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.
The Outsiders
By S.E. Hinton
The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.
Dune
By Frank Herbert
Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for...
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.
Thank You so Much!
I wanted to give a big thanks to everyone who has helped me with this project, and to you for taking the time out of your day to view my website!