I have been all holier-than-thou in Spain about the waste in the school system there, as we have to buy all new text books every year. Some friends were even telling me that the schools chuck out all the chalk every year, even if it's brand new, and all the reading books from the classrooms.
I was struck dumb with horror.
Imagine my horror when I looked into a local school dumpster the other day here in TO:
There must be over a hundred children's books in there, in good shape too, except for the garbage since launched onto them. There is chalk, never used, cds, etc etc etc.
Not even offered to charity. Just dumped.
What are we leaving for our children?
12 comments:
It is shocking but in fairness to the school they might have offered them to a charity who weren't interested. We have been doing a lot of gleaning in our library and charities weren't interested in our old books. Books are very heavy and a lot of the charities actually get them new from the publishers. Though you would think the school could let the parents have first dibbs.
It's horrible that something isn't done with them. I hate to see that kind of thing go to waste when so many are in need of books and educational materials. Very sad. Of course, I can't destroy a book for any reason. It just feels wrong.
A table in a sheltered spot with a sign saying 'free books' would have done it, I would think, no?
Hula, I too am constitutionally unable to throw out a book...though I did once. I was given one that left me embarrassed to own it.
what was the embarrassing book? ;)
Also, I'm surprised that charities would not be interested. Even if I have had my bad experiences with charities... I recall plenty of charities asking for old, slightly refurbished furniture and school books for shipments to Africa. But that was in France, when I was a kid
ElPadawan, I honestly think a lot of charities might well be interested, they would probably want you to bring them to their drop off points, indeed, I am pretty sure of it. They were probably too lazy to drive them over. Last year I dropped a few hundred books off, easily.
ITA.
And if no charity wanted the books, they needed to go to a recycling center at least!!!!
Indeed!
Horrors. Our legacy to our children will be huge landfills and a depleted Earth. Don't get me started on how wasteful we are!
I once helped at a rummage sale where my job was to throw out the books no one had bought at the end of the day. I refused, saying it made me feel like a Nazi. They ended up keeping them for the next sale, so I guess I must have struck a chord.
That is a horror. There must be organizations who could be called that would come and sift through it (before the addition of the trash) and take what was useful. Let's hope someone wakes up soon.
Indeed Bodhi, indeed, I would have taken a bunch, and know places it could have gone without any problem at all.
Shame on them!! I am sure there are many groups who would have appreciated them all!
Certainly a little effort could have been out into place, no?
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