© 2025 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

McHenry County environmental bookstore celebrates anniversary on Thanksgiving weekend

One of the Environmental Defenders' bookstores in Woodstock, IL
Courtesy of The Environmental Defenders
One of the Environmental Defenders' bookstores in Woodstock, IL

The Environmental Defenders were founded in 1970 and have three main goals: to preserve and protect the environment in McHenry County, and to educate its residents. They also run two bookstores.

Green Read Bookstore Manager Pam Johnson says there are environmental benefits in a used bookstore.

“We've kept tens of thousands of books out of the landfill," she said. "At the same time, the sales from those books go toward our environmental projects here in the county. It's a win-win.”

Johnson also says the bookstore's building itself is pretty special, too.

"We're on the historic downtown Williams Street, about half a block from the train station," she said. "There are tons of wonderful things in downtown Crystal Lake that we participate in. The Crystal Lake Store was, earlier this year, designated a green business by the city of Crystal Lake sustainability committee.”

While the bookstores aren’t their main form of revenue, the nonprofit says they are essential to spreading the word about the organization and providing a physical space to build community.

Besides the bookstores, the organization has, over its 54 years, conducted wide scale cleanups and restoration projects. They’ve also hosted recycling drives.

This weekend, the bookstore in Crystal Lake is celebrating its anniversary by inviting anybody who hasn’t been in yet to stop by.

Jess is a graduate of the University of Vermont and Northwestern University specializing in health, environment, and science reporting. Jess is a reporter with WNIJ, Report for America's Ag and Water Desk and Harvest Public Media.