The Post-Landfill Action Network, or PLAN, invited area artists to dive in and dig a treasure out of the trash on Wednesday. PLAN hosted an Artist Dumpster Dive on the University of New Hampshire campus in Durham during the final week of classes, when students are moving out and throwing away lots of stuff.
Artists were invited to rummage through dumpsters, take anything they found, and upcycle some of it into a new piece of art. If they so chose, artists could then donate their artwork to be included in an auction fundraiser called Art of Reuse in support of PLAN.
Art of Reuse is an evening of food, drink, and recycled artwork. This year, the event is scheduled for Aug. 11 at the Newmarket Millspace. More information can be found here.
At the Dumpster Dive, the day started with PLAN founder and director Alex Freid explaining what happens during “move-out” and why artists were invited to participate.
PLAN collects mostly usable things — couches, desks, chairs, lamps, fans, etcetera. When collecting these items, PLAN volunteers see a lot of random stuff that isn’t good for resale, but could be used in a creative way. That’s why artists were invited to participate, to see what’s available and find a creative re-use for it.
Freid has been known to say, When the only solution is a dumpster, everything looks like trash.
PLAN founder and director Alex Freid (in green T-shirt) talks to guests at the Artist Dumpster Dive.
There are two kinds of dumpsters seen around the UNH campus, Freid said. There are the smaller, front-loader dumpsters that are on campus year-round, and then there are the larger, open-top or 30-yard dumpsters. These large dumpsters are only dropped off around dormitories during the last two weeks of the school year, when students are moving out. It is estimated that 80 extra tons of trash are collected during that two-week period.
Two types of dumpsters, one small and one large, at the UNH campus.
Frances Barker, an art student at the Maine College of Art and resident of Eliot, Maine, came to the Dumpster Dive to meet other artists who make art using found objects. She is especially interested in art that involves public engagement.
Frances Barker gets ready to hunt for trashed art supplies.
Trash 2 Treasure is the name of the program that diverts usable items from dumpsters in the spring and resells them back to returning students in the fall. 
According to the PLAN website, the “UNH Trash 2 Treasure program is the first student-led, self-sustaining campus waste reduction program of its kind in the country. It has diverted over 60 tons of waste from landfills and saved students and their families thousands of dollars on back-to-school-shopping.”
While artists and PLAN staff rummaged through a campus dumpster on Wednesday, an older gentleman riding by on a bicycle yelled, “Trash 2 Treasure rocks!” and pumped his fist into the air.
Artists and PLAN staffers dig into a dumpster.
Erin Mawn, a librarian at York Middle School, was very pleased to find a solidly made gumball dispenser in the dumpster.
Erin Mawn with her trash treasure.
Mawn also found a set of alphabet lights. If they work, she plans to put them up at the school library; if not, she’ll upcycle them into an art project, she said.
Safety is a concern when dumpster diving. Participants were encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes and gloves.
Matt Lebel, the founder and designer behind Back Burner Designs in Somersworth, was looking for pieces of wood. Lebel specializes in furniture and decor using reclaimed wood. To learn more visit, backburnerdesigns.com.
Matt Lebel is equipped for a safe dive.
While artists and makers were given a guided tour of dumpsters around the UNH campus, Trash 2 Treasure volunteers were working hard to collect items for summer storage. Volunteers collect items from predetermined collection sites in dormitory lobbies and dumpsters.
Salvageable items are transferred to storage sites around campus. There are 12 total storage sites, including 10 outdoor units, and two large indoor spaces.
PLAN volunteers with a load of salvaged treasures.
During the summer, collected