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USM graduate student Christina Rivard, right, receives her books in a reusable bag purchased at the bookstore at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College. Assisting Rivard is bookstore manager Lyn Philbrick. USM Bookstores are donating one dollar of the purchase price for each bag to one of three local charities. |
August 2008
The University of Southern Maine’s Bookstores have started a re-usable bag program. The effort is in part to become more sustainable by reducing the amount of plastic bags they use. As an incentive the Bookstores are donating $1 for each bag purchased to a local charity or local non-profit agency. Customers will be given tokens in which they may choose the charity of their choice by dropping the token in the appropriate container. The organizations chosen at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn campus Bookstore include The Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, St. Mary’s Food Pantry and the Auburn Land Lab. Customers who don’t purchase a re-usable bag but still decline a plastic bag will be able to donate 5 cents to one of the three charities.
"USM and our students want to be environmentally responsible, and we feel this is one way we can help by reducing the number of plastic bags we use", Lewiston Bookstore Manager Lyn Philbrick said. “By offering students the ability to donate part of their purchase price of a reusable bag to a local charity it becomes a win-win situation for both the environment and for local non-profit organizations.”
All three USM campus bookstores in Lewiston, Gorham and Portland will be participating in the program. The Lewiston campus bookstore is a full-service bookstore, not only supplying textbooks but also trade books, office supplies and University clothing and gifts as well. USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College is located at 51 Westminster Street in Lewiston. For more information about the sustainable bag program please contact store manager Lyn Philbrick at 753-6521 or email lacbookstore@usm.maine.edu.
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