By Nityashri Sankaran, Grade 11, Delhi private school, Sharjah

Education costs is one of the biggest challenges faced by all parents worldwide and as per studies, education costs in the UAE is the second highest in the world. With increasing financial and economic pressures, using also a second hand book in a good condition and giving down your books for use to a junior saves about AED 500-1000 for parents at the start of the school term, and makes a difference especially when 2 or more children in the family are in the school going age group also.

I have been participating in the book exchange fair conducted in Sharjah for the past 3 years and ever since, have never purchased a single new school text book. I only buy the mandatory work book from our school bookshop at a minimal cost. The fair is about giving the books you have and taking the books you want and absolutely free. Sometimes you may not have as many books to give, but you are allowed to take what you want. There are volunteers sorting out the received books by school and grades as full sets, and having different tables/corners by school in the hall makes it very easy to choose what you want, between the CBSE, IB or Cambridge syllabuses also, and noting the texts are also sometimes different between schools.

Because I collect books for recycling from children in my building, I sort out the books in good condition by grade to be donated at this fair. There are several study guides, books for university preparation, IELTs & SAT preparation etc. which I have seen at this fair which are pretty expensive in the market. There are some Olympiad exams books which we may buy and I am happy to say that my books are handed down 2 generations at school until they are totally worn out. As for the notebooks, all children will agree that our notebooks are mostly half empty and we tend to discard the entire notebook set after we finish the grade. I prepare rough notebooks by cutting and spiral binding the empty pages for home practise (Photos attached)

Some tips to reduce books to the landfill:

·         Ask neighbours, family, friends or other colleagues if they want the books you may have

·         You can sell them at second hand book dealers

·         There are sites online to sell and swap for other books

·         Good story books can be donated to libraries and charity schools which are always in need of educational materials.

·         Use e versions of books and guides on your Kindle which are relatively cheaper than the hardcover and paperback options.

All of us have to make an individual effort to recycle, and such reuse of books is a small step towards a greener tomorrow, which can be regularly practised at every home.