Grab a bargain, save the planet

Since 2014, Tulane University student group “Trash to Treasure” has been reducing waste on campus by hosting one of the most popular events to take place ahead of Move-In weekend.

At the close of the semester, when students are moving out of campus residence halls and heading home for the summer, Trash to Treasure is on hand to collect the “trash” that students can’t take home with them for resale to students during Move-In. According to program manager Caitlin Ducat, that trash includes lamps, mirrors, printers, extension cords, surge protectors, kitchen ware, hangers, plastic storage bins and more.

“Parents are usually the most excited when they see what’s available for sale,” said Ducat, a Tulane senior who has volunteered with the project for the last three years. “Buying from us is so much cheaper than Amazon, Bed, Bath & Beyond or any other retail store.”

Ducat said that the sale will be larger this year thanks to the team’s expansion of collection sites during move-out in May. The group expanded collections from six campus residence halls to eight.

For the clothing portion of the sale, shoppers will have to wait a bit longer. Ducat said that the group is adding a new twist this year by holding a separate clothes-only sale during the first or second week of school. The official date has not been set.

A portion of the sale’s proceeds are used for storage cost and the remaining funds are donated to local charities.

The 2017 Move-In sale will take place Aug. 24-26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at Dixon Hall.

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