What a waste!
- 480,000 Approx. number of textbooks that end up in landfill each year.
- £45 million An estimated value of textbooks thrown every year
- 2,300 tonnes The amount of CO2e 10,000 students could end up contributing to by buying new textbooks.
How do we help?
Campusboard is a free platform built for universities to allow staff and students to trade reusable goods. Any reusable item, from textbooks to tellies, can be bought and sold directly with other students and staff on campus.
Our goal is to eliminate unnecessary textbook waste
By giving students easy access to a reliable reuse platform, we are committed to drastically reducing the number of textbooks that end up in landfill every year. Through multiple cross-channel initiatives our aim is to totally eradicate unnecessary textbook waste from university campuses all across the UK. By working closely with universities and student unions we are working to instil the reuse mentality among the student population as well as provide more affordable reading materials to students nationwide.
Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Universities
Buying items new has a large impact on the carbon footprint of university students. The production, distribution and delivery of items, in particular textbooks, contributes towards hundreds of tonnes of CO2e every year. Simply by reducing the number of new items purchased, and replacing these with pre-loved alternatives, students can dramatically reduce their own individual carbon footprint.
51,000kg Approximate CO2e reduction to date
Reducing the amount waste produced on Campuses across the UK
With an estimated 384 tonnes of textbooks ending up in landfill every year, students need to be made even more aware of the effect they can have on the amount of unnecessary waste that is produced. We continue to promote a 'Reuse-First' mentality and allow students to benefit from positive environmentally friendly activities.
Extending the life of every textbook
By providing a convenient and modern way for students to exchange used textbooks, we are able to eliminate the need to purchase new books. This in turn reduces the negative environmental impact and amount of waste created throughout the whole supply chain of a book. Each reused textbook can save up to 20kg of CO2e.
Making textbooks more accessible to university students
The average student can spend up to £630 a year on new paper textbooks. Providing students with an affordable option as well as the opportunity to make some extra money on their used textbooks is a powerful solution that actually benefits the student economy.
£162,000 Saved on textbooks by students to date through Campusboard
This is not something we can do alone. We need your help.
The core aim of our sustainability program is to get student bodies all across the UK to engage and explore ways in which they can directly impact textbook waste. And to do this effectively we need your help. If you are currently a student or a university employee who is keen to help reduce unnecessary waste we would love to discuss how we can collaborate to make a significant and positive impact at your university.
How It Works
Students & Staff List Items
Staff and students can list their unwanted textbooks or other items on the Campusboard site for FREE. We offer an intuitive and cost free platform to enable the promotion of re-usability on campuses all across the UK.
Trade & Reuse
on Campus
Buyers can make an offer on items and speak with the seller directly to arrange a safe and convenient location on campus to trade the items. Students are incentivised to sell-on their pre-loved items, and in turn create an affordable second-hand option for another student.
Track Impact.
One textbook at a time.
We offer advanced analytics to allow sustainability teams at universities nationwide to monitor and track the amount of waste that is being diverted from landfill in real-time. Allowing for a complete picture of the impact the platform is having on sustainability efforts.
Sustainability Leaderboard
How does your university rank?
| CO2e Saved | per student | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | University of Exeter | 7,200kg | 0.35kg / student | – |
| 2 |  | Royal Holloway | 3,070kg | 0.31kg / student | ▼ |
| 3 |  | University of Birmingham | 9,230kg | 0.27kg / student | ▲ |
| 4 |  | University of Lancaster | 2,980kg | 0.23kg / student | ▲ |
| 5 |  | University College London | 5,880kg | 0.17kg / student | ▼ |
| 6 |  | University of Leicester | 3,000kg | 0.17kg / student | ▼ |
| 7 |  | King's College London (KCL) | 4,240kg | 0.15kg / student | ▲ |
| 8 |  | University of Edinburgh | 1,820kg | 0.06kg / student | ▼ |
| 9 |  | University of Warwick | 1,500kg | 0.06kg / student | ▼ |
| 10 |  | University of Bath | 760kg | 0.05kg / student | ▼ |
| 11 |  | UWE | 900kg | 0.03kg / student | ▼ |
| 12 |  | Imperial College London | 370kg | 0.02kg / student | ▲ |
Share your university's impact
We provide all universities with a customised badge that displays a live update of waste diverted and CO2e saved.
Request Your Badge
Reduce CO2e emissions by reducing waste
Reduce the amount of waste that is transported from campuses and processed at waste management plants all across the UK.
Divert tonnes of unnecessary waste from landfill
Find new homes with other university staff and students, for perfectly usable items which would otherwise end up in landfill.
Cultivate a reuse-first culture within the student community
Allow students to earn money quickly and efficiently on their old items; thus incentivising a reuse-first culture on campus.
Help us raise awareness.
Share this page with students, co-workers or anyone else at your university that might find it of interest:
Get Your University Involved Today
Whether you work for a university sustainability team or are a student that's involved with an environmentally-focused society and would like to lead waste-reduction efforts on your campus, please email our Sustainability Team via the e-mail below: