College students save money, environment with thrifty purchases and loans

For many college students, the start of a new school year also means spending money on everything from tuition to textbooks.

However, students in St. Lawrence County are saving money by buying and borrowing used dormitory furnishings, housewares, clothing and even Halloween costumes donated by students in previous years.

This fall, St. Lawrence University’s student-run Barn Good Thrift Store in Canton and Clarkson University’s volunteer-run Lending Cupboard in Potsdam are providing economical, environmentally friendly shopping alternatives for north country students.

“It’s supposed to be helping the students on campus so they don’t have to bring as much back, and it’s supposed to keep things out of the landfills, which it’s definitely doing,” said Louise E. Gava, St. Lawrence’s sustainability coordinator. “I think they’ve come a long way. I’ve noticed there was a lot less stuff in the Dumpsters this year.”

At St. Lawrence, the Barn Good Thrift Store resells donated items ranging from coffee mugs and bed sheets to televisions and towels. Since its creation in 2005, the store has expanded to include two trailers for summer storage, an autumn sale and a year-round thrift shop between 5 and 7 University Ave.

The thrift store is the only student-run, for-profit business at SLU, with funds from sales helping to pay student employee salaries, advertising costs and other operating expenses. Item donations are sought throughout the academic year.

“Our winter hats and boots and coats are big sellers,” Ms. Gava said. “Everyone wants a futon; everyone wants a mini-fridge. TVs are not as popular — I think that’s because of the change in technology. Lots of people are looking for lamps and chairs, but clothes are really popular.”

Donation and reuse efforts at SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton are more nascent than at St. Lawrence; however, SUNY Potsdam collects dormitory furnishings and other items at the end of the school year to donate to north country nonprofits. A 2009 amendment to state education law authorizes SUNY schools to “facilitate a campus-wide charitable donation program for local area not-for-profit organizations utilizing students’ residual consumer goods.”

At Clarkson, employees and their spouses provide a twist on the thrift store concept with the Lending Cupboard, a program in which students can borrow furniture and other items for the academic year. Established in 1989, the “cupboard” fills a small university-owned house at 148 Maple St. in Potsdam and offers everything from cleaning accessories to futons.

“Everyone’s always looking for vacuum cleaners. Before we had the Walmart here, for them to buy silverware and plates and glasses and cups and frying pans — that was all very expensive for them,” said Joanne J. Ackermann, the coordinator of the Lending Cupboard. “Then when winter starts setting in and they realize they’re going to be cold, they come for the comforters. We have stacks and stacks of comforters.”

In its 22 years of operation, the cupboard has lent more than 15,000 items donated by Clarkson students, faculty and staff as well as members of the Potsdam community. Although not every item is always returned, Ms. Ackermann said, the turnover makes room for new donations every year.