Greater Bridgeport Community Enterprises

History

Next Chapter Books

Book Recycling For a little more than two years GBCE operated a book recycling operation, Next Chapter Books, that employed 5 people. Like all of its social ventures, this one aimed to impact the green profile of our community, increase good employment opportunities and put money back into our neighborhood by economically supporting local families.

In partnership with more than 70 libraries in Connecticut and Westchester County New York, we collected and processed for reuse and recycling old books that were to be discarded and would likely have wound up in landfills. Books came pouring in through many other sources such as schools, colleges, and universities. Also, nearby residents dropped off boxes of books at our warehouse and we gathered many thousands through book collection bins strategically placed throughout Southwestern CT. In cooperation with some companies, such as Citizens Bank, employees donated old books at work in book bins that we provided. Even municipal transfer stations set aside discarded books for us.

With our truck and staff we collected, sorted, sold and recycled books to support employment. Over the years 2014 and 2015, we sold more than 28,000 books for revenues of $300K through Amazon Sellers program, and with our Thrift Books partners another 82,000 “penny books” for $53,000. We also saved from landfills 500 tons of books that were recycled into pulp and came back to the public as paper products of all sorts.

Because our warehouse space is very limited, we had to suspend book recycling operations when the Mattress Recycling Law went into effect last year. All space is currently dedicated to deconstructing and recycling the component parts of mattresses and box springs. We are actively looking for partners and space where this successful social venture can be continued. Please contact us if you have any ideas or interest in providing a Next Chapter for Books!

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