By Hailey Murphy
When it comes time to move, it can be hard to know what to do with your extra stuff–especially big pieces of furniture, which are often tossed to the street. We’ve all seen a couch on the sidewalk from time to time, just waiting to be picked up by a lucky stranger.
This may seem completely innocent. Charitable, even. But more often than not, that piece of furniture never finds a new home. Instead, the rain and the dirt ruin it. It becomes an eyesore on the street. No one picks it up, and it continues to be ignored until the City of Bellingham takes it to the dump. So while dumping a couch on the street may seem like a good idea, there’s a significant chance it’ll just go to waste. It’s actually considered as improper disposal of unwanted items, which is against the law.
But on June 9th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Zero Waste Western is taking a stance against couch-lined sidewalks. They’re hosting Move-Out-Madness, an event where students can donate their unwanted items, or swap them out for something new. This event works to ensure responsible disposal while giving back to the community.
Move-Out-Madness accepts anything you don’t want when you move out, including your trash. Items acceptable for donation include furniture, appliances, clothing, non-perishable food, and personal care products. Items that can’t be donated, like recyclables and non-recyclables, can also be brought for proper disposal.
Donations can be brought anytime from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Western students with ID may also retrieve items during this time. After 3 p.m., leftovers will be collected by local non-profit organizations. These organizations include the Bellingham Food Bank, which provides food to families in need in Whatcom County, and House 2 Home, which provides furniture to people transitioning out of homelessness. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., all members of the community can collect whatever is remaining.
This event is occurring at a number of locations, specifically targeting neighborhoods with a high student population; York Neighborhood, at Harriet Spanel Park, Sehome Neighborhood at Laurel Park, Happy Valley on the corner of 26th St. and Douglas Ave., and NXNW Student Living at 800 Viking Circle.
Move-Out-Madness is a great way to be a responsible member of your neighborhood, to give back to your community, and to make your move-out process as simple as possible. If you’re interested in getting involved with the cause, there are still volunteer slots available in every neighborhood. To volunteer or to get more information on the event, visit https://sustain.wwu.edu/wwu-move-out-madness/.
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