At the beginning of summer everyone in Isla Vista moves, whether it be to another side of town or to a completely new place, but the same problem persists: in the week following finals, the streets of IV become littered with everyone’s belongings. Everything from couches, appliances, and the spoiled contents of refrigerators overflow from dumpsters and pile onto sidewalks. Last year alone, Marborg Industries removed 1.1 million pounds of material from Isla Vista during the two weeks of move out.
The following resources will be useful and make your move-out both more stress-free and waste-free!
You can easily make your move-out experience zero waste by doing the following:
1. Give!
UCSB organizes the annual end-of-the-year GIVE sale, where it collects vast piles of reusable items from students and other UCSB/IV residents, organizes the items into a huge yard sale in the Embarcadero Hall parking lots, sells them for a weekend, and donate the proceeds to nonprofit organizations which serve IV. In 2010, the sale raised more than $27,000!
Check out the website for information on where and when to donate:
http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/GiveIV/index.aspx
2. Donate your food
Unopened food can be given to the AS Food Bank (or to the GIVE sale, and they will donate to the AS Food Bank). AS Food Bank is located on the second floor of the UCEN.
3. Save your bike
Don’t leave your bike abandoned over summer. Abandoned bikes on campus will be impounded by CSOs. You have several options to store your bike over summer, or donate it!
- CSO Summer Storage is available for $30 for registered bikes and $40 for non-registered bikes starting the first week of June. Payments can be made by cash, check, or BARRC. CSO Office open M-F 12-3PM. Limited Capacity!
- Store with friends in the area
- Donate to Isla Vista Community Bike Center on Madrid in Isla Vista. The owner does his best to give free bikes to victims of bike theft!
- Donate to IV GIVE! Sale
Sell on UCSB/IV Bike Exchange Facebook Group
4. Donate furniture, appliances, and clothes
There are many thrift stores located in Goleta:
http://www.yellowpages.com/goleta-ca/thrift-stores
5. Make money
Sell your stuff on Facebook’s Free & For Sale page or post your reusable items on Craigslist Santa Barbara
Its important to remember that Isla Vista is our home, and it is our job to keep it clean and not be wasteful of perfectly usable furniture and appliances. Start the summer off right, and think zero–waste!
Keep it classy, don’t be trashy.
