BOULDER, CO – As thousands of students finished final exams last week and scrambled to move out of their dorms, a local nonprofit helped CU Boulder students divert thousands of pounds of home improvement materials from landfills.
Resource Central, a conservation-focused nonprofit based in Boulder, partnered with the CU Environmental Center to save hundreds of fans, lamps, chairs, bins, organizers, desks, dressers, mirrors, laundry baskets and other materials from going in the trash.
These home goods are available to the public starting this Saturday, May 20 at 9am at Resource Central’s materials reuse facility at 6400 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder.
“Reducing waste is one of the easiest ways to reduce carbon emissions,” said Neal Lurie, president of Resource Central. “There’s no need to manufacture new materials and transport them halfway around the world when we can reuse what’s already in our community.”
Reusing materials is widely touted as a more sustainable and affordable path to home improvement and an important educational tool.
“Collecting usable goods from over eight thousand students in 72 hours is a huge lift,” said Angie Gilbert, CU Environmental Center’s zero waste program manager. “The intention of the drive is to encourage students to see the value of repurposing their items which provides a local community benefit, reduces landfill waste, and promotes responsible purchasing in the future.”
Local community members and parents of incoming college students are invited to find what they need for the coming semester starting this Saturday. This community celebration includes a DJ, food truck, and home improvement materials, and more.
Last year this unique partnership diverted more than 34,000 pounds of materials from landfills and this year is expected to be even more.
About Resource Central:
Founded in 1976, Resource Central is an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to putting conservation into action. Its programs have helped more than 700,000 people save water, reduce waste, and conserve energy. Learn more at ResourceCentral.org.
