I would like to bring to the notice of the community and authorities that every year, hundreds and thousands of books are being wasted by many residents.
The policy of some school managements is partly to blame for this.
Every year, when the new academic session begins, most of the books that were used the previous year are changed or updated.
Parents are left with no option but to dispose of these piles of books outside their homes or to keep them in stacks in a corner of their study rooms, unwanted and ignored.
Lack of space is another problem, which worsens the situation. We must consider the cost as well.
Personally, I feel very bad because I am a book-lover and often request my friends to store their old books as a reference for the future. But most people are not interested.
Sometimes, I take the books with me to my home country, with the intention of distributing them there, but the cost of this extra weight while flying is another hurdle.
As someone involved in the field of education, I urge parents to stop wasting old or used books. We must find a better option.
Just donating the books or leaving them with charity organisations is also not the ultimate solution. There should be a proper place for the disposal of such books.
Offering them to libraries is a good option. Perhaps a book bank could also be started, from which students who cannot afford to buy expensive books would be able to benefit.
I believe that paper is getting very expensive every year and in order to save the Earth, I would gladly pledge to take proper care of the books I possess.
I would love to work as a volunteer for such a cause and hope enough people are interested to make it happen!
The reader is an English teacher, based in Dubai.
