Arlington Students for Climate Action Host Free Pop Up Shop
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Arlington Students for Climate Action Host Free Pop Up Shop

Students volunteer to help reduce waste, keep fast fashion from landing in landfills.

The donated items were separated by type and included things like almost new Merrell hiking boots and a Lily Pulitzer dress.

The donated items were separated by type and included things like almost new Merrell hiking boots and a Lily Pulitzer dress. Photo by Eden Brown.

By Eden Brown

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

“Thank you for doing this,” was the most often heard phrase around Washington-Liberty cafeteria on Sunday, Feb. 2. The second annual Free Pop Up Clothing Shop held at the school is not just a great way to get rid of clothes that have been sitting unworn in the closet for months or years, finding them new homes, and keeping them out of the landfill, it is also an excellent opportunity for young people in Arlington to volunteer, show leadership,and get the word out to the community that fast fashion and throwing old clothes in the garbage bin are “so yesterday.” 

This year, the students took advantage of the pop up shop to also raise awareness and ask for donations for their trial composting project. Students for Climate Action want to set up composting bins in school cafeterias so the uneaten food does not go to the garbage dump, but instead gets collected by a local small business that does composting, turning food scraps into valuable soil-improving compost. 

Donations from around the community included 1200 articles of clothing. Of these, about 400 items were taken home by happy “shoppers” (who paid nothing for them) and the remaining items were donated to organizations like Goodwill, CasaMiraflor and PathForward. About 75 people left with clothes, and others stopped by to donate. One woman brought a rackful of Hawaiian shirts, all practically new.  She explained her husband, a recently retired second grade teacher, wore a different Hawaiian shirt every day to his class. Casual Adventure Outfitters was, as they were last year, MVPs in terms of donating hangers and clothes. The whole event was overseen by Eleanor Hodges of Eco-Action Arlington and volunteer Laura Wachtmann. 

For more information on Eco-Action Arlington, see:https://www.ecoactionarlington.org,or to see their new GetGreenArlingotn app, see: @getgreenapp


Last year, as a senior in high school, Cheyenne Klapper was instrumental in setting up the first Free Clothing Pop Up Shop at Washington-Liberty High School, along with other students. (See Arlington Connection, February 3, 2024.) It was a big success, due in no small part to Klapper’s leadership. The adults that helped set up the first clothing swap, including the executive director of Eco-Action Arlington Elenor Hodges, were amazed at the focus Klapper and her fellow students in Arlington Students for Climate Action brought to the task. Klapper and her teammates in the Climate Action Group volunteered time during their busy senior year, making this event so popular it has now gone on for a second year.  Klapper was recognized this year with an award from “Points of Light.” Points of Light, based in Atlanta, Georgia, partners with nonprofits, companies and social impact leaders to motivate volunteers to meet critical needs. Its website says they are “the world’s largest organization dedicated to increasing volunteer service, engaging nearly 4 million volunteers across 38 countries to create healthy, equitable communities where all can thrive.”  Points of Light starts from the premise that volunteers are essential to helping solve critical problems and that volunteering brings deep value to the individual, the communities in which they serve and our global society.   “I just try to remember how important it is that I’m using my passion and empathy to create change. Any movement toward the goal is a step in the right direction,” Klapper shared.  Points of Light’s Chief Development Officer, Katherine O Hare, CFRE, was honored to join Volunteer Arlington’s 8th Annual MLK Day of Service, where Klapper was presented with her award.