Thrift Store Review: Palouse Treasures

Overall Rating: 4
Location: 4
Organization: 5
Selection: 3.5
Cleanliness: 3.5
Price: 3.5
(See explanation of categories below)


Throughout the next few months we will be reviewing local thrift stores. We will be using a five-point scale, five being the best in a given category.

Palouse Treasures is located at 1005 NW Nye St. in Pullman, Wash. It is visible from Grand Avenue, the main drag in Pullman. The store is a two-story establishment and its spacious layout and good organization makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. It offers a very large selection of items.

“This is my favorite thrift store because of its location, price and variety of kids clothes,” said Tanya Steward of Palouse, Wash. She has been shopping at Palouse Treasures for two years.

Palouse Treasures accepts all forms of payment, but most items cannot be returned. All electronics for sale have been tested in store; if they do not function after purchase they can be returned for store credit.

A non-profit organization, Palouse Treasures accepts goods on a donation only basis.

The store is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The categories include location, organization, selection, cleanliness and price. Location includes accessibility and visibility. Organization is based on the layout of the store and placement of items and goods. Selection includes quantity, quality and variety of products. Cleanliness will be based on the smell of the store and general upkeep. Price is that compared with other thrift stores.

-Reviewed and Written By Holly Luka and Erica VanNatta

Earth's Core Keeping WSU Students Warm This Winter

Geothermal energy, a renewable energy source, is an affordable and environmental-friendly alternative to fuel that Washington State University is using to heat and cool a residence hall.

Geothermal energy comes from the earth’s core. Most high temperature geothermal heat is harvested in areas close to tectonic plate boundaries where volcanic activity rises close to the earth’s surface, however, even cold ground contains heat that can be extracted with a geothermal heat pump.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal heat pumps are the most energy efficient, cost effective and environmentally clean systems for temperature control.

Due to recent advances in heat pump performance, geothermal energy is a rapidly growing market. Because it uses the earth’s natural heat, it is one of the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies available.

WSU’s Olympia Avenue residence hall uses geothermal heating and cooling. Water pipes run under the residence hall into the adjacent play field that acts as the well field for geothermal heating and cooling. It provides water at a stable 50 degree temperature all year.

The pipes are filled with a glycol-water solution that remains the temperature of the earth it runs through. Then the solution brings that temperature back to the building to either heat it or cool it. In the summer the 50 degree water runs through the building to keep it cool and during the winter it goes through a heat exchanger to remove enough heat to keep the building warm. Instead of having to heat the water from 30 to 70 degrees, it only has to heat the water from 50 to 70 degrees.

Although most homes still use traditional furnaces and air conditioners, geothermal heat pumps are becoming more popular and should be strongly considered when building homes and businesses.

For more information and picutres of WSU's Olympia Avenue click here.

Eco + TP squared = Save our Forests

Sheryl Crow once suggested that we ration toilet paper to one square per visit. Easier than rationing, consumers can really make a huge impact by switching to eco-friendly disposable paper products. "If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper (500 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 423,900 trees," (Natural Resources Defense Council).

I recently bought Marcal toilet paper and I'm really impressed with the quality. The quilted hearts and sturdiness are its best attributes. The toilet paper could be softer, but I still prefer it to overly soft brands. The ultimate benefit, especially in this economy is that I bought the tp for less than the clear-cutting, common name brands.

Have you tried an eco-friendly disposable paper product yet? Please post a comment of which brand and its pros and cons.

Meatless Mondays

Michael Pollan spoke at WSU Wednesday night and among other ideas, touched the concept of Meatless Mondays. There is so much petroleum in our food system that an individual who eliminates meat from his/her diet once a week makes the same eco-impact as a driver switching from a Hummer to a Prius.

Grab some veggies and join our Facebook Event: Meatless Mondays

Also, become a fan of The Planet is my Friend!