Due to the floundering economy, Borders is closing about 200 of its Waldenbooks stores across the United States. After the stores close, the company plans to burn TENS of THOUSANDS of new and unused books. Thankfully, a few of the company employees have been outraged by this plan and have started a facebook group to protest the act. They are trying to gain awareness and incite anger from the public so that Borders will consider donating the books to various libraries and charities. Organizations, such as the Parnell Memorial Library in Alabama, have already written to the company in hopes to get some books donated to them. Borders has respectfully declined and make it clear that it is financially easier to destroy the books instead of donate them. I am appalled that Borders, a well-known company, would destroy thousands books simply because it is cheaper. They are turning down requests of organizations in need of resources because they believe it is financially savvy. They aren’t even considering recycling the books so that they can be used to create other paper products. The books are simply going to be either burned or landfilled, both of which are environmentally crippling.
Currently, the facebook group “Tell BORDERS: DO NOT DUMPSTER BOOKS when Waldenbooks closes-DONATE!” has 11,309 fans and has messages of protest posted every hour. People are obviously passionate about preventing this massive act of greed and waste. This is a great example of how technology has advanced and has succeeded in creating a way to voice protest and get a message out. Common Americans are given the power to challenge the industry and prompt them to change their actions. Outlets, such as facebook, are changing the power structure and will only continue to evolve popular culture. Many of the posters of this particular facebook group state that they plan on switching who they buy books from and are going to boycott Borders and Waldenbooks. After reading about this wastefulness, I am going to do the same!
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