College Students Dump 'n Run - Sustainably
Several campuses in the U.S. and Canada again held collection campaigns during the residence hall move-out season this year. The initiatives kept items out of landfills, saved trash pickup fees, and donated items to a good cause. Here are a few highlights:
Rutgers University (NJ)- Rutgers Recovering Our Resources
Residence hall students at Rutgers donated their unwanted items during move-out this year through the Rutgers Recovering Our Resources program. Project volunteers held several sorting parties to organize the hundreds of pounds of items, which will be saved until the annual fall rummage sale. Non-perishable food items were given to Rutgers Against Hunger, a program that collects food and monetary donations for local food banks, and bicycles were sent to the New Brunswick Bike Library, which helps local residents and students build and repair their own bicycles. In addition, broken electronics were recycled in an environmentally sensitive manner to avoid adding lead and other toxic substances to landfills.
Suffolk University (MA)- Dump and Run
As students moved out of the residence halls this semester at Suffolk University in downtown Boston, they donated thousands of pounds of material to area charities. The University's third annual Dump and Run topped the amount of materials collected in previous years. In addition to benefiting local organizations, the program saved materials from ending up in a landfill and saved the University approximately $1,000 in trash hauling expenses.
San Francisco State University (CA)- Sustainable Move-Out Program
Students at SFSU donated unwanted items to Goodwill during the third year of its Sustainable Move-Out Program. Goodwill placed donation boxes outside dormitories in advance of move-out day and it parked its company truck on campus to collect items as well. Students were encouraged to swap out items from the collection bins as desired during the campaign. The University hoped to top the 31,000 pounds donated in 2008.
University of Dayton (OH) -Donation Program
UD offered students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to donate their unwanted items during move-out week to local charities again this year. UD Environmental Sustainability Manager Kurt Hoffmann was excited about the program not only because last year they collected more than 30 tons of clothing, furniture, food, electronics, and household items, but also because the program saves the University money through reduced trash pick-ups and tipping fees at the landfill.
Alfred University (NY)- Dump 'n Run
Items donated at AU were sold for a charitable cause during a day long sale at a campus gymnasium. Items that didn't sell were donated to charities for distribution to families in need, and non-perishable food items were given to local food pantries.
And feel free to share your end of the year collection successes by submitting comments below.
-Andrea Webster, Publications and Education Coordinator, AASHE
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8th annual Student Move-out collection effort at Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College concluded its 8th annual student move out collection program this year, selling the items that were either donated or left behind during the student's mad rush to exit campus in late May. Once again collecting record proceeds from the sale, all the money raised is donated to the local non-profits who help collect, sort, clean and sell the items at the yard sale. We've raised over $200,000 for local non-profits in the past 8 years while diverting hundreds of tons of material that would have otherwise ended up in the local landfill.
For photos check out:
Give and Go Presale Thursday
http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1bowdoincampus/006320.shtml
Give and Go Went Wonderfully
http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1bowdoincampus/006324.shtml
Diversion Excursion at CSU, Chico - 10th Anniversary
At California State University, Chico we celebrated our 10th anniversary of the Diversion Excursion program which rescues tons of reusable goods to donate to charity as well as large quantities of recyclable items. This year we bested our previous record and collected 18,837 lbs. This program services the 5 on-campus residence halls (1200 students) as well as an off-campus apartment-style complex (800 students). We utilize about 160 student and community volunteers.
This year there was also a "yard sale" held one month prior to finals week in which students could sell or trade items.
The City of Chico was inspired by our program and set up their own Drop & Dash program for off-campus students in the week following graduation.
For more info, visit our website at www.aschico.com/de or contact Robyn DiFalco at 530-898-6677 or Luisa Garza at 530-898-4039.
Green Apple Move Out at NYU
NYU's 2009 Green Apple Move Out was a great success -- students donated a record 73 tons of reusable items to Goodwill Industries, an exciting step up from last year's 8 tons. Diverting this much material from landfills represents a two percent reduction in NYU's waste stream for the year, and has saved the University approximately $10,000 in waste-hauling costs. The huge increase in the amount of material donated was made possible by collaboration between NYU's Recycling Shop, facility managers, housing managers, and Residential Education departments, who made sure that each and every residence hall was included in this year's Green Apple Move Out.
For more on the Green Apple Move Out, visit http://www.nyu.edu/public.affairs/releases/detail/2686.
Dump and Run
UAlbany expanded its dump and run program to all of our residences this year. We collected household items, furniture, clothes and food. We donated all materials to the following charities: First Lutheran Church homeless shelter, US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants, Albany Women's Club and the Goodwill. We experienced a 8.6% drop in normal waste disposal for the month of May compared to last year.
Resource Recovery at UC Davis
The annual UC Davis Resource Recovery Drive collected 7,137 pounds of materials during campus resident move-out in June. Of the total, 1,893 pounds of food items were donated to the Food Bank of Yolo County and 5,244 pounds of clothes, small appliances, linens and other items were donated to a nearby Goodwill store. Additionally, a small amount of personal care, laundry and cleaning products were donated to the local homeless shelter. Based on historic numbers, this was a record-breaking year for donations.
ReUse Market - University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati held its second annual Re*Use Market June 8-11, 2009. The event, held during exam weeks as many students were moving out of residence halls and apartments, makes it possible to greatly reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill, while also providing free materials to those who need them. The Re*Use Market allows students and other community members to bring items that they no longer want, browse the free market and take things away that they'd like, and then at the end of the week, all remaining items were donated to local charities (Saint Vincent de Paul and the Freestore/Foodbank). The event grew considerably this Spring as the University of Cincinnati students nearly filled a POD with furniture, clothing, electronics, books and household items. Many things were taken by students and neighborhood residents attending the open-air market and many of those same people came back later with items from their homes that were no longer needed.