The Really Really Free Market is an event where students donate items that they no longer need, and other students can acquire those items free of charge. Hannah Sauder, a junior, is in charge of the event this year as she was last year. She took over the enterprise from the 2014 Goshen College graduates and creators, Lauren Treiber and AL Krawiec, who first put the event together in 2010.
“The goal of this event is to encourage the recycling of material,” Sauder said. “In a society where we are encouraged to consume, this event encourages conservation of resources. I believe this is at the core of sustainable living–people working together to sustain the world for the future generations.”Treiber and Krawiec started this event as a way to help students get rid of their unwanted items while reducing consumerism. Today, Treiber takes this concept even further and has her own small online thrift store, Getragen Vintage.
On her store’s website, Treiber writes, “Getragen is German for ‘carried,’ ‘sustained,’ and ‘second-hand.’ Things sold here are things I’ve worn or created. They are worn in and well-loved. They carry stories in them. They are for you. By owning second-hand, we create less demand in the general marketplace for creation and consumption of new, unnecessary things.”
Students have responded very well to the annual market, both by donating and acquiring items. By participating, students demonstrate their interest in being a helpful, active part of sustainability and recycling, creating a community of caring, conscientious individuals.
Sauder said, “It starts with the small acts of sustainability. Goshen College is known for having an emphasis on sustainable living. This event is another small step.”
To donate your unwanted clothes, appliances, books, etc., you can drop them off this week at three locations: Java Junction, Kenwood and Kulp 3.
