The Theophilus Tower lawn has been littered with hundreds of bins and tables in August, for the past five years.
Inside these bins on the Tower lawn are hundreds of pounds in diversions from the waste stream — an ongoing project, which was taken over this year by the University of Idaho Sustainability Center.
This ongoing project is called Free Cycle, though in prior years it has gone by other names such as “Trash to Treasures.” At the end of the each academic year, program coordinators collect unused but still usable items from students occupying university housing. The goal is to reduce input into the waste stream.
Donation bins are placed in dorms across campus during the last two to three weeks of the academic year. After students donate items, their unused goods are stored over the summer in the Wallace Residence Center basement. During the first week of the academic year in August, all donated items are placed on the Tower lawn. Students may peruse the items and take what they wish. The program is on a first come, first serve basis and everything is free.
According to Kaitie Martin, UISC volunteer coordinator, the event in August runs for approximately three hours before all donated items are claimed.
Martin said clothing, some of which is expensive, has been heavily donated in past years. Other miscellaneous items — such as bed risers, dorm supplies and canned food — also find their way into bins.
According to Martin, despite rows of tables covering the Tower lawn, there aren’t many leftovers from the program. In prior years, what is leftover has been taken to Goodwill.
Unusable donated items, such as bedding, have historically been taken to animal shelters, according to Robert Goodrich, the founder of UI’s Free Cycle.
Goodrich, a UI professor of geography, started the program as a part of his Core Discovery classes five years ago. Students took control of the program, as part of their curriculum in CORE 163 and 175 classes. Core Discovery classes were taken out of the curriculum three years ago and Free Cycle, as it’s currently named, was then transferred to Goodrich’s Geography class.
Goodrich said the original intent of the program was to divert some of the goods students use on campus from the waste stream. Goodrich said that task has been accomplished successfully.
“This would be the perfect year for the Sustainability Center to just take it over,” Goodrich said. “It belongs in that department. Their niche on campus is perfect for it anyway.”
According to Martin, Free Cycle cuts down on waste costs for University Housing.
Martin said the university recently switched to a weight system when disposing waste material. Disposal is broken down into two categories: tip and weight. When using the tip system, waste receptacles are tipped over and waste is disposed in one dump, which is charged on a flat rate.
Martin said disposal by a weight system can be more beneficial and cost effective.
“Well, at the end of the year, when you have students throwing out all of this stuff, there’s a lot of weight in there,” Martin said. “So by doing the Free Cycle program, we’re actually diverting a lot of that waste, and people can reuse it.”
UISC may implement a few changes this year, now that the program is in its hands.
According to Martin, volunteerism is a component to be utilized this year. In prior years, Free Cycle was ran by classes, which meant there was a dedicated base of workers. Martin said anyone interested in volunteering should contact her by email at [email protected].
Martin said hours for volunteers are flexible and there may be a food incentive for volunteers.
Martin said her goal for this event is to make the process more structured and organized. She said the transition of the program into UISC has posed a challenge in these areas.
Jake Smith can be reached at [email protected]