City offers tips to cut back on trash as students move out

Kansas University graduate Kurtis Klecan puts a final load of trash into the Dumpster on Friday behind his residence on the 900 block of Tennessee Street. Klecan said that he had already put a couch, a chair, a futon and a BMX bicycle into and around the Dumpster because it was easier to throw away than to keep.

City sanitation workers Justin Zimmerman, left, and Sefo Vaeono work to load a couch into the back of their truck to be crushed Friday as they sweep the alleyway between the 900 block of Tennessee and Ohio streets. Crews spent the morning removing piles of furniture and unwanted belongings as students are nearing their move-out dates.

Moving days are here.

With a large student population, Lawrence experiences a great migration about this time every year, with shifts in and out of apartments and homes across the city.

Student or not, though, moving’s a pain for anybody, and it produces a lot of waste. Kathy Richardson, waste reduction supervisor with the city, provided some tips for helping reduce, reuse and recycle to decrease stress — for the mover, for the trash collectors and for the planet.

• If your move purges a lot of unwanted stuff from your household collection, consider donating before binning things like clothing, books and even household goods, Richardson said. The Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt., takes books, CDs, DVDs, tapes and records from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays (except Fridays, when it closes at 7 p.m.) and noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. For clothing and household goods, there’s a variety of donation options, including Goodwill, 2200 W. 31 St.; the Social Service League, 905 R.I., which is open Wednesday through Saturday; and The Salvation Army at 1601 W. 23rd St. Building materials and working appliances can go to Habitat for Humanity Restore, 708 Conn. Restore can arrange pickups for large items. Nonperishable food items can go to Just Food, 1000 E. 11th St.

• A simple way to reduce what you throw away in a move, Richardson said, is to use packing materials that you’re moving anyway, like towels and bedding, rather than purchased or throwaway materials.

• Nonworking electronics should be recycled rather than thrown away and can be taken to several retail stores in Lawrence. More information can be found at lawrenceks.org/wrr/index.php. Paints and other hazardous materials, Richardson said, should be properly disposed by taking them to city facilities. The city’s waste department can be reached at 832-3030.