Here at The Book Connection, sustainability on an achievable level is second-nature.
Our largest contribution to sustainability is through our large range of second-hand titles, meaning each book has a long life beyond its first owner. There can sometimes be many owners in a books life, and the funds go towards keeping our Local Independent Bookstore alive.
The nature of a retail business means that waste is unavoidable, yet we try our best to save everything. We have the most affordable books around with a large clearance range priced at just $1. These are the books that have been in the store too long or have been damaged to a point where they cannot be sold at their regular price. The books are still in demand and to date, thousands have been saved from landfill. These books are also frequently donated to support events and charities. We had the honour of sending hundreds of new and used children's and educational resource books to Fiji. The Seventh Day Adventist church supported the construction of a new library to support the surrounding 5 villages and school.
Occasionally, some of the books donated are not right for the store and will not sell in this environment. If they meet the condition requirements, we re-donate to the Michael Egan Book Fair held in Dubbo annually. The funds raised from this fair go back into the community with a portion always going towards cancer research or awareness.
Disposal is always a last resort and is reserved for books with damage beyond what a person would reasonably purchase. This includes books that are torn, missing pages or covers, stained/soiled, heavily foxed, moderate water damage, or have contamination issues. Each book is unique and each one is assessed carefully in our processing room before making their way into the store to preserve the quality and condition of our stock.
Aside from our circular economy of books, we are mindful of reducing waste by reusing where possible and recycling where it isn't. The boxes and packaging material received from our suppliers are stored neatly for future use in sending large orders and surplus is given to the community for their individual projects. When available, we select postage bags from Australia Post's recycled range. These bags are made with 50% recycled material. We also reuse bubble wrap, cardboard and packing peanuts that come from our suppliers original packaging to keep your books safe.
Where possible, we aim to reuse, reduce and recycle. We love providing the community with affordable books and intend to continue with our sustainable practices.