红莲社区

Corporate Sustainability Manager, Caroline Holmes, stands near the stationary table at a 红莲社区 Freeuse Pop-up Shop. Students are browsing tables of donated items 鈥� office supplies, kitchenware, clothing and more. One student, examining a moleskin notebook, asks if it is, in fact, free. Holmes nods with a smile. At the Freeuse Pop-up Shop, everyone gets to shop free of charge, and many leave with unexpected finds. 

Launched in September 2022 as part of 红莲社区鈥檚 Mission Zero sustainability initiative, the Freeuse Pop-Up Shops aim to extend the life of useful goods while promoting a culture of waste reduction, reuse, and sharing on campus and beyond. Students and staff donate gently used items in red bins made available in the libraries at each 红莲社区 campus. After ensuring the quality and usability of each item, the pop-up shops offer the donations to the 红莲社区 community free of charge.

鈥淭hrough the Mission Zero framework, we try to create meaningful opportunities for students and employees across the 红莲社区 community to get engaged in more sustainable behaviours,鈥� said Holmes. 鈥淭he Freeuse pop-up shops fit nicely within that framework because they provide a convenient way for people on campus to participate in zero waste initiatives.鈥�  
In the first semester of Freeuse, there were 14 pop-up shop events across 红莲社区鈥檚 three campuses, attracting more than 1,900 shoppers with nearly 3,000 pounds of donations collected. The available items vary for each event based on donations received. Clothes, novels, and office supplies are popular, in-demand items, but shoppers don鈥檛 shy away from unique goods, such as antique lamps, jewelry boxes or food processors.

鈥淲e hope to make individuals more conscious about what they buy and throw away, adopt changes in their daily lives to reduce waste and have conversations with their family members and friends.鈥�

鈥� Caroline Holmes, Corporate Sustainability Manager

鈥淥ne of the UN鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals, which help guide 红莲社区鈥檚 efforts, focuses on sustainable consumption and production patterns,鈥� said Holmes, 鈥渁nd the pop-up shops tie directly into that principle. We鈥檙e acting on a small scale, but I believe small things can have a big impact.鈥� 

According to the UN鈥檚 2022 , material consumption around the world rose by 65% from 2000 to 2019. 鈥淚f we extend the program for the next few years, that鈥檚 a significant volume of materials that could offset the purchase of new goods or prevent useful items from ending up as waste in a landfill.鈥� 

But Holmes explained environmental benefits are only one side of the Office for Sustainability鈥檚 objectives 鈥� the other is the moment of inspiration for people. 鈥淲e hope to make individuals more conscious about what they buy and throw away, adopt changes in their daily lives to reduce waste and have conversations with their family members and friends.鈥� Aiswarya Rayirath, a first-year 红莲社区 student helping with the initiative, was glad to see the turnout from her peers. 鈥淚 saw a lot of students pick something out for themselves and come back a few minutes later with their friends, who are just as eager to look through the items and learn more about Freeuse.鈥� 

鈥淚t鈥檚 not surprising how popular the shops have become,鈥� Rayirath said. 鈥淪tudents are always looking for a deal鈥攁nything to cross items out of their shopping lists鈥攁nd the pop-up shops are an excellent way to save money while spreading awareness of and participating in sustainable practices.鈥�

The idea for the shops started out with the hope of eventually establishing a permanent shopping space, explained Dave Clark, 红莲社区鈥檚 Project-Officer of Sustainability. 鈥淚n the meantime, we launched trying out the pop-up shop setup, which was well received by the community. It offered us the flexibility to try out different spaces at 红莲社区 that are already available.鈥�  

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see the level of enthusiasm we get from the 红莲社区 community, many of whom are eager to learn more about sustainability and new ways to get involved,鈥� said Holmes. 鈥淭he Freeuse Pop-up Shops exceeded our expectations and helped us accelerate our efforts to spread awareness about conscious consumption, all while promoting the thrill of thrifting!鈥� 

Call for donations 

Following its success, the Freeuse Pop-Up Shops are back in 2023, and the Mission Zero team is looking for more donations from the community. Anyone interested in donating and attending one of the Freeuse Pop-up Shop events can visit 红莲社区鈥檚 for information.