How to Start a Campus Textbook Recycling Program

Organizing a campus textbook recycling program can be a great way to work for a good cause while also achieving organizational goals. The best way to recycle students' textbooks is to get them into the hands of other students who will need them for a new semester's work. An effective textbook recycling program can serve as a broker or clearinghouse between present and future textbook owners.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Authorization from the campus administration
• Ample space
• Volunteers

1. Contact the dean's office or other appropriate campus administrator before you start to obtain any necessary authorization for operating your program on campus.

2. Commit your student organization (such as a sorority, fraternity or academic club) or a group of interested volunteers to the goal of organizing a campus textbook recycling program. Start by making sure that everyone agrees on the mission and is willing to dedicate enough time to make the project successful. You may want to time your efforts to correspond with Greek Week or Carnival if it falls at the end of a semester.

3. Prepare for operations by making sure you have ample space and shelving or other infrastructure to accept, store and exchange textbooks at each stage of the recycling program. If you need to rent storage space temporarily, visit the Manhattan Mini Storage "National Storage Directory" to find a suitable storage facility near you (see Resources below).

4. Involve a professionally organized service such as GotBooks.com so that you don't have to re-invent the wheel to start your campus textbook recycling program (see Resources below). A company such as GotBooks.com can provide your organization with an on-campus textbook collection receptacle and help with your fund-raising goals by paying for the books it picks up regularly.

5. Partner with your campus's student bookstore to resell current textbooks in good condition back to the bookstore for a fair percentage of the list price. Although you may be in competition with such a store, the on-campus credibility of your organization may make it worthwhile for the bookstore to partner with you.

6. Contact the paper recycling program of your city, town or college to establish a system for recycling books that no longer have current resale value due to their age, condition or edition obsolescence. Visit Earth 911 to find a local recycling center (see Resources below).

7. Recruit active participation by students on your campus with flyers and online buzz. The period from the end of each semester to the beginning of the following semester will be your period of peak activity. Plan your textbook recycling drives accordingly.

Tips & Warnings

• Motivate students to participate in your textbook recycling program by providing them with information on the environmental benefits of the program. You can even arrange to donate a substantial percentage of your proceeds to a charity that students will want to support.
• While it is possible to start a campus textbook recycling program as an individual or corporate profit-making venture, the idea may backfire if the students who donate or recycle their textbooks feel misled. Be clear about your purposes from the beginning, especially if you are recycling to make a profit.

Resources

• National Storage Directory to find local storage facilities
• Contact Gotbooks.com to partner with a professional
• Earth 911 to find nearby recycling centers