Plastic waste was collected for recycling, nearly 500 books and educational materials reached people in the community, and children, young people and adults were invited to see sustainability and reading as part of the same shared responsibility. This is the impact of the third edition of “Plastic for a Book”, organised by Rotaract Club Ruse and Interact Club Ruse, District 2482, with the support and recognition of Rotary Club Ruse.
The idea is simple, practical and powerful: people bring plastic waste and receive books in return. In this way, one community action connects two important Rotary priorities — protecting the environment and promoting literacy, education and lifelong learning.
Held around International Children’s Day, the campaign once again brought together local residents of different ages. Participants collected 15 bags of plastic bottles and other recyclable plastic waste, which will be processed through recycling. At the same time, thanks to donors and volunteers, nearly 500 books and educational resources were distributed.
The materials included 50 copies of Slavo-Bulgarian History, 80 Danube-themed colouring books, around 200 children’s books, nearly 100 books for adults, and approximately 50 mathematics workbooks for different age groups. Through this combination, the campaign reached children, families, students and readers with different interests, while encouraging a more responsible attitude towards waste.
“Each year we see how a simple idea can bring people together around a meaningful cause. It is inspiring that this initiative promotes both environmental responsibility and a love of books and learning,” said Kamen Ivanov, President of Rotaract Club Ruse.
The project is a good example of ethical and positive storytelling in action: it does not present people as passive beneficiaries, but as active participants in a shared cause. Everyone who brought plastic waste became part of the solution. Everyone who received a book became part of a story about learning, curiosity and care for the future.
The initiative is also part of a wider regional effort. “Plastic for a Book” is connected with the joint activities of clubs within the Danube Alliance and the international environmental programme End Plastic Soup, supported by Rotarians from the Netherlands. This year, similar campaigns were held simultaneously in several Danube cities, including Ruse, Vidin, Svishtov, Vukovar in Croatia, Galați in Romania, and Budapest in Hungary.
Across the Danube region, the combined efforts of Rotary, Rotaract and Interact clubs resulted in the collection of more than one tonne of plastic waste for recycling. This wider result shows how local actions can become stronger when clubs work together across borders, cities and generations.
For Ruse, the campaign is more than an annual activity. It is a reminder that young people can lead visible, meaningful and community-based change. Rotaractors and Interactors are showing that environmental responsibility can be accessible, education can be joyful, and Rotary values can be lived through simple actions that bring people together.
Through “Plastic for a Book”, plastic waste becomes a reason to read. Books become a reason to gather. And young leaders become ambassadors of a more thoughtful, more sustainable and more educated future.
