Thrift Stores Become Eco-Hip Mecca for College Students
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 09. 4.07
In what may be an unintended consequence of the growing green movement in America, thrift stores have become a fashionable way for college students who are environmentally aware to furnish dorm rooms around the country. Always a source of furniture and the like for a wide array of groups including the college-bound, they’re turning to them in increasingly large numbers as a way to recycle and reduce their eco-footprint while saving a buck at the same time. And let’s face it, college furniture goes through an untold litany of unseemly abuses, so if you’ve got to buy it anyway, why pay full price?
Take Trixie Encomienda, 17, and a freshman at the California Design College in downtown Los Angeles. While she’s stuck commuting her first year, she’s already picked up her bedroom set for next year’s apartment share including two Victorian side tables, a headboard and wardrobe, and as she puts it “I actually got the whole set for 80 bucks.”
Now she freely accepts the label of thrift-store junkie with pride, and cites pricing and the environmental benefits of reusing someone else’s goods as just cause… But there’s the added benefit that it's also a cool way to find something just a wee bit different from everybody else’s. As Encomienda says, "Sometimes you just get sick of what you see at the mall. The only way to find something unique is at a thrift store."
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This has been going on, like, forever. But then, like, at the end of the year? everyone dumps their trash? you know? in the dumpster? And it's like, totally, a huge mess, all overflowing and stuff.
That's so awesome! I'm definitely going to buy used furniture when I need more furniture which hopefully I won't need any time soon..
i mean this is great & all. but not news. since the sixties, man, kids have been onto the thrifty tip. who doesn't get funky with the junky? this little piece has nothing new or newsworthy to it. is this what i have to look forward to, now that treehugger went big-time? what's next, a piece about the novel use of growing kitchen herbs indoors? tell us something we don't know.
K, negative nancy. Read another story then .
I think it's pretty cool that it was brought to my attention, I mean not all stories on this site are going to be " Breaking News", but it's about recycling furniture and room accessories, therefore it is a valid article that will give someone this bright idea.