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Photo: Jimmy Christensen works at the second-hand store in Roskilde. It’s pretty hard—if not impossible—to find a single bare patch of wall, ceiling, or floor in Jimmy Christensen’s home in Gundsømagle.
Jimmy is a collector. Six hundred LPs are stacked up, movie posters cover every wall, UV light strings hang from the ceiling, and countless old computers lie disassembled throughout most of the house. And he also collects little owl figurines for his son.
The best thing about Jimmy’s collecting hobby is that it’s all about reuse. He buys everything at second-hand stores around Roskilde. And he even works at a second-hand store himself. The Gensalg store at the recycling centre in Roskilde, which is owned and operated by the waste and energy company ARGO.
“My job is one big treasure hunt. I sort through all the great reusable items that people donate, and I love the excitement and surprise of opening yet another sealed cardboard box that might contain anything under the sun,” explains 53-year-old Jimmy Christensen, continuing:
“I love reuse. Finding the right items that can be given a new lease on life and bring joy to others, while also helping to take better care of our planet. It makes sense to me.”
Jimmy often finds strange things in the boxes that people donate for reuse.
Jimmy has been a treasure hunter his whole life, but the prizes haven't always been innocent owl figurines or old LPs from the recycling centre.
For 18 years, it was drugs. More specifically, amphetamine (also known as speed) that Jimmy was chasing. Morning. Noon. Night. That’s when it was at its worst.
At age 13, he left home and moved into a youth hostel. At age 18, he became a father for the first time with his teenage sweetheart. They broke up when Jimmy was 25, and that marked the beginning of an endless, bleak journey in the treasure hunter’s life.
“I started partying. Hard. Then I did a line on Thursday to get started and another one on Monday just to get out of bed,” Jimmy says.
The hours of the day blurred into one long blur. He partied with his friends all night, snorted a line to stay awake, spent most of the day tinkering with old computers, and snorted another line to kick off the night’s party. Repeat.
Jimmy tried unsuccessfully to get an education, lived on welfare, and ended up moving more than 25 times over the course of 20 years.
“My whole life revolved around drugs. How was I going to get money for my next fix? At first, it was wild parties, fun, and hanging out with friends. But after a few years, my life turned dark and gloomy, and I was deeply, deeply addicted to speed.”
In the summer of 2019, Jimmy agreed to enter a residential treatment programme at Kongens Ø in Dronningmølle.
It was a “point of no return.” Three months of therapy, community, sports, and care. Along the way, he received help and support from counselors who were former drug users themselves. Together, they cleaned up Jimmy’s social media profiles. They blocked his dealers and deleted Facebook friends from the drug scene.
“I got clean, and I got a new life. I don’t miss life as a drug addict—it was just crap in the end,” says Jimmy, adding:
“When I returned to Roskilde, the local authority helped me secure an internship at the second-hand store at the recycling centre. Today, I work 31 hours a week in the drop-off area, where residents bring items for reuse. I love it.”
After 18 years as a drug addict, Jimmy became a treasure hunter at the recycling centre.
You can always tell when Jimmy is working “under the awning” because he loves listening to music.
Jimmy has a steady job now. He has a good relationship with his kids. And he has a social life with friends, parties, dance music, and a daily routine as a treasure hunter at the recycling centre.
“ARGO gave me a unique opportunity, and I seized it with both hands—and I’m still holding on tight, because I truly love my work.”
Fortunately, Jimmy doesn't have to worry too much about keeping his job, because ARGO really likes Jimmy, too.
This is according to Ditte Titskov, who is the section manager for Direct Reuse at ARGO:
“In our two second-hand stores, we invest in people. Sustainability isn’t just about recycling and reuse. It’s also sustainable to treat people with trust and give them a second chance in life. Just like we did with Jimmy,” concludes Ditte Titskov.
After 18 years as a drug addict, Jimmy became a treasure hunter at the recycling centre.