In the spirit of recycling, Susan Dromey Heeter updates this column year after year.
By SUSAN DROMEY HEETER, Joyful Musings
DURHAM – Today, August 24th until 7 p.m. is the final day of the Trash 2 Treasure Sale sponsored by Student Association of the University of New Hampshire for returning students to outfit their dorms with items that very easily could have ended up in landfills.
As a joyful celebrant of the art of reusing and recycling, I could not be happier to promote this event, this idea, this tremendous sale. And FYI, even if you are of an age where you no longer are outfitting your own dorm room, you can still attend this event. It’s open to all.
Eight years ago, UNH student Alex Freid (’13) spotted overflowing dumpsters filled with items students simply threw away rather than to carry home for summer. These items included couches, shower caddies, fridges and roommates.
Okay, I’m kidding about the roommates, but the other stuff? It was all there, ready to be hauled to the landfill. But Freid then thought, “why not clean this up and sell it back to students upon their return?” And the program of Trash 2 Treasure (T2T) began.
Now, eight years later, T2T has saved students over half a million dollars in back-to-school expenses and diverted over 174 tons of waste from entering landfills.
Wow. Those are amazing numbers; even more information about this event and this group can be found on the T2T Facebook page: UNH Trash 2 Treasure.
Having been raised by depression era parents, recycling and re-using was a way of life. I still cannot throw away a ziplock bag without hearing my dad say, “hey, rinse that out!” And one of my favorite conversations from last summer was with my 81-year-old Aunt Sue.
We were discussing whether we could sleep on sheets upon which someone had died. We both decided that with a good washing, that would be a non-issue. “Just use some bleach,” remarked my aunt.
And, yes, bleach and a good wash provide many a great second act.
And Alex Freid has prompted many a second act not only at UNH but at a plethora of other institutions by founding the Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN).
According to Keefe, “Schools throughout the country have started similar ‘move-out programs’ such as DormMania at William & Mary, Goodbye, Goodbuy at RIT in New York, Think Outside the Dumpster at UNH in Connecticut, and several others that were instigated in some way or another by PLAN.”
And this all began here in New Hampshire, what a brilliant legacy.
And if you would like to witness the orchestration of Trash 2 Treasure, come to the sale today, Saturday, August 24th. It’s held at the Whittemore Center. No doubt I will see you there musing joyfully on the grand satisfaction from saving money, saving our environment and saving a trip to a box store.
May you muse joyfully at the art of the save.
Susan Dromey Heeter is a writer from Dover who recently let her hair go au natural white. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards.
The opinions expressed are those of the writer. InDepthNH.org takes no position on politics, but welcomes diverse opinions. email nancywestnews@gmail.com