Davide on one of the three chairs he was given and which he sold for charity. Photo Susan van Weperen Text and photos by Susan van Weperen
Davide Bottacini (26) is a master’s student of Biology and Plant Sciences with an unusual hobby: collecting discarded furniture. The money he makes from this hobby goes towards charity.
David finds discarded furniture near his student apartment in Wageningen almost every week. ‘My balcony at Asserpark provides an excellent view of the dumping site where students discard their used furniture. I check for new items every day, and if anything appears, I go down to pick it up.’
Many students simply discard their furniture when they move, Davide knows. ‘Especially international students need their stuff until the very last moment. Moreover, moving is a stressful and chaotic endeavour, and many students lack time to sell their items last minute. This is why much is discarded, which is really a waste. There are always students who could use these items. I once sold a student’s freezer to a housemate, who then gave it back to me to re-sell when she wanted to throw it out.’
Davide sells the items he collects through the Wageningen Student Plaza Facebook group. ‘There is no other decent platform on which to sell furniture. A pity, as Student Plaza is rather chaotic and the communication is obscure.’ Davide thinks this may also be one of the reasons why students choose to discard furniture: a proper platform for the sale of furniture is lacking. ‘But students often also fail to realise their old table is still worth fifteen euros.’
Storage
The items Davide collects on his search missions along the student apartments are stored in his room. A challenge, to put it mildly. Davide: ‘Sometimes I find things that are quite large, such as sofas or tables, which are difficult to store in my room for a longer time. Luckily, we have a common room that I can use for temporary storage. My corridor-mates don’t mind. The furniture never stays there for long; I often sell it within a day because there are always students looking for new things.’
Kakapo
The money Davide makes is donated to charity: the kakapos in New Zeeland. This bird is threatened by extinction. ‘There are only 200 kakapos left in the world. I collect approximately 400 euros per year, it may not be much, but it can still make a difference. Not many people know about these birds, and they, therefore, don’t get much attention. But even small amounts can help.’
Davide learned about the kakapo through a study book. ‘The bird was pictured on the cover of the book I was studying. The authors of the book made it available to students free of charge, requesting a donation for the protection of the kakapo. I had never heard of the bird but googled it, and I immediately liked it.’
I collect approximately 400 euros per year, it may not be much, but it can still make a difference
I was already selling furniture at that time, so I decided to donate the money I made. And that is what I am still doing. I tell the people I meet about the birds, hoping I will find sufficient support to make a difference.’
Hobby or work?
Davide is to graduate in June, and should he stay in Wageningen for a PhD, he intends to take his hobby one step further. ‘In that case, I aim to start a foundation so that I can really help the kakapo and other birds that are threatened with extinction. I will search for a place to store the furniture and intend to launch a website with a catalogue of the furniture I am selling. If it goes well, I hope to be able to buy a van to use for collecting and delivering items.’
