02/02/11 ema

HAYS, Kan. -- Students in Fort Hays State University's Panhellenic Council collected 234 books to donate to Better World Books, Atlanta, Ga., and South Bend, Ind.

The campus-wide book drive conducted by the council was held during the last two weeks of the fall 2010 semester. The books were shipped to the company over Christmas break.

"By donating these books, we saved five trees and 2,773 gallons of water," said Charles Keefer, the graduate assistant of Greek Life and Leadership.

"We also saved 337 pounds of greenhouse gas entering the atmosphere, two cubic yards of landfill space and 780 kilowatt hours of electricity. By donating these books to Better World Books, it is guaranteed that those books will never be thrown into the landfill."

Of the 234 books donated, 195 were re-used -- either sold through the company's online marketplace or donated to a literacy program. For this drive, the Panhellenic Council donated money and books to the Books for Africa literacy program.

The remaining 39 books were recycled and used for other paper products.

Better World Books was founded in 2002 by three students from Notre Dame University, South Bend, Ind. Books sold help fund high-impact literacy projects in the United States and around the world.

Keefer said the council has committed to conducting another book drive in the last two weeks of the spring 2011 semester. "We wish to thank everyone who donated books to our fall drive," said Keefer.

For more information about Better World Books, visit http://www.betterworldbooks.com/.