Trash to treasure: UM program diverts dorm items to thrift sale

David Erickson

Luca Welle, a University of Montana student, was dumpster diving on campus on Friday and removing perfectly good fans, mirrors, chairs, rugs, shelving and even a mini-fridge.

“I’m an environmental studies and a sustainability science and practice major, so I am very anti-waste,” he said. “So when I see stuff in the trash that’s still in pretty good condition, I take it out.”

Graduation weekend in Missoula is a thrifter’s paradise, as thousands of University of Montana students discard unwanted items like rugs, toaster ovens and lamps as they move out of student housing for the summer. Many are flying home or driving in small cars and can’t take all the mirrors, recliners and coffee tables they’ve accumulated here.

Now in its eighth year, the Campus Thrift program will host multiple collection sites located on campus where students can drop off items they no longer want Thursday through Saturday, May 11-13. Collected items will be sorted and then sold at highly discounted prices from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at the Campus Thrift Sale at UM’s Schreiber Gymnasium. Unsold items will be donated to local thrift stores. All proceeds from the sale will benefit

View Source