Mankato’s Maverick Bookstore is among a few hundred bookstores across the country donating a portion of sales of used textbooks to help an effort to plant 100,000 trees.
Kevin Ballard, Maverick Bookstore manager, said his store has sold roughly 52,000 used textbooks since August.
“We need to do something for the environment,” Ballard said, “and one of the best ways to do that was to not have any trees cut down.”
Maverick Bookstore is part of the Nebraska Book Co. chain of bookstores. Maverick caters to Minnesota State University students and stocks about 2,500 different titles in addition to MSU apparel.
Nebraska Book Co. is working with the National Arbor Day Foundation on the tree project. Last year was the first year of the tree project, and trees ultimately were planted in Yellowstone National Park. This year, students get to vote on where the trees will be planted, and as of right now, no location has been chosen. They will not be planted in Mankato, however.
Ballard says one of the biggest hurdles in the battle of pushing used text books is the publishing companies.
“We have a lot of professors that have sales people from publishing companies selling them on the idea of buying new books,” he said.“ They’re shrink wrapping the books, adding gimmicks ... It’s getting out of hand and it’s costing the environment.”
Ballard says if instructors made two key changes, it could have a big impact on the environment.
First, if they stick with one book for three years, that same book could be used several times, eliminating the need for trees to be cut down for the sake of new books. Also, if departments could agree on one textbook for the entry-level courses, that also would reduce waste.
“In English, right now we have 50 sections, and 90 percent of those are all using different books,” he said. “If they would uniformly adopt a book to be used in English 101, adopt it for three years, that would save the students a huge amount of money ... It’s good that instructors have the freedom to use whatever book they want, but if they could agree on at least an intro-level book, that would really help our students.”
Ryan Anderson, an MSU student and speaker of the university’s Student Senate, said he’s been involved with a group made up of students, faculty and bookstore officials that has been addressing some of the issues Ballard raises.
He said he’s seen many instructors do their best to try and not make students pay more than they have to.
“I think the vast majority of faculty are very sensitive to the burden it puts on students,” Anderson said.
Anderson, who buys most of his textbooks online, said Ballard’s idea of making instructors use the same book for three year sounds, on the surface at least, to be a good one.
“Although, it looks like something that could work more with general education courses,” he said.
In a statement issued this week, the Arbor Day Foundation praised the work of the Maverick Bookstore and the “Buy a Book, Build a Forest” campaign.
“It is an easy yet powerful way to involve college students in planting trees and improving the environment,” said John Rosenow, president of The Arbor Day Foundation. “A single tree can provide an estimated $273 worth of environmental benefits in just one year.”
For more Free Press news go to www.mankatofreepress.com.
Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
1-800-722-0544
© 2005-2013 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system and an affirmative action/equal opportunity university.
