Emptying Landfills to Support Literacy

One Parking Spot Can Help Change the World.

Did you know that 2 billion pounds of books are annually sent to landfills across the world? How about that 1 in 7 adults are functionally illiterate?

Better World Books is working to decrease these numbers by providing a much needed (and free) outlet for pre-loved books otherwise destined for landfills. Through the Better World Books Drop Box program, businesses and organizations can host a Drop Box on their property to collect used or unwanted books from the community. This not only helps raise funds for literacy and education, but brings well-read visitors to the property again and again.

Books brought to a host’s Drop Box are then sorted by Better World Books to ensure they are put to their best use. The company sells those they can on betterworldbooks.com and 50+ online and offline marketplaces. A percentage of every book sold goes to support literacy and education. In addition, for every book sold on betterworldbooks.com one is donated, Book for Book™. Those collected books that can’t be sold are donated or recycled. So far, the Drop Boxes have helped support local public library systems, United Way, Keep Beautiful, childhood cancer research, local literacy councils, public schools and education foundations – as well as the company’s global literacy partners such as Room to Read, Invisible Children and Books for Africa.

In fact, Better World Books programs, including their Community Drop Box program, have collectively raised over $11 million dollars for literacy and libraries, donated over 6 million books, and reused or recycled over 70 million books. Want to help keep books out of landfills and support literacy? Find your local drop box here.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Noel I.

6:14AM PDT on Sep 13, 2012

Giving a fresh and imaginative twist to the expression - "converting waste to wealth"!~ This bold project transforms what would have been consigned as material waste to mental wealth simply through the power of imagination and giving!

September 13
send a green star

Ajla C.

2:37AM PDT on Sep 13, 2012

Ne bacam knjige,poklonim ih.

Amber B.

8:11AM PDT on Apr 14, 2012

awesome! but I never throw away books. I usually take them to Goodwill. if all else fails, to the library they go.

April 14
send a green star

Kay M.

5:37PM PDT on Apr 12, 2012

cool

April 12
send a green star

Daniel S.

3:25PM PDT on Apr 11, 2012

long live Guy Montag.

April 11
send a green star

3:23PM PDT on Apr 11, 2012

I think it goes without saying these days that everything that can be recycled, should be, in one way or another, landfill sites should pretty much be a thing of the past. I used to see skiploads of books out the back of my local charity shop and it broke my heart to see donations made in good faith so carelessly disposed of, not even recycled, and when the shelves were filled with copies of Bridget Jones Diary and Captain Corellis' Mandalin just begging to be pulped! Living in a country with certain authorities seemingly intent on decimating our public libraries, why not just send our books to where they may be appreciated the most? Good call BWB, will definitely investigate further and contribute where possible...

Lynn C.

10:14PM PDT on Apr 10, 2012

Better World Books is a wonderful organization!