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Members of the First Class of Keep Louisiana Beautiful University Affiliates Implement Green Move-Out Practices to Divert Waste from Landfills

As students finish exams and rush to move-out and head home from the summer, an extraordinary amount of clothing, bedding, furniture, food, and other dorm waste ends up in landfills. Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) University Affiliates – all members of the University Sustainability Coalition – discussed this timely topic in the March Coalition meeting, with Tulane University presenting its spring move-out practices. Tulane inspired two Affiliates, University of New Orleans (UNO) and Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA), to reduce their move-out waste through partnering with area non-profits accepting donations.

 

Tulane presented on Trash to Treasure, a student-led organization focused on waste reduction. Trash to Treasure collects donations of unwanted items in the spring and hosts a sale in the fall, which gives students the opportunity to purchase gently used dorm goods. All profits from the sale are donated to local non-profits focused on environmentalism and social justice. Required to execute this initiative are portable storage units and many volunteers. In 2021, Trash to Treasure filled four portable storage units and donated proceeds to 10 organizations.

 

Storage for Trash to Treasure sale

 

“This sale is a fun activity for new and returning students when the semester kicks off,” says Jordan Stewart, Assistant Director, Office of Sustainability. “For fall 2021, during a surge in Covid-19 cases, students and parents enjoyed not having to travel off campus to find simple items, like hangers and plastic drawers.”

 

Trash to Treasure sale

 

In addition to identifying non-profit partners, Tulane conveyed the importance of logistical planning. Necessary are multiple donation drop-off locations on campus, volunteer and staff support for both the non-profits and students, parking for non-profit partners and a transportation plan for donations, initiative marketing, and event signage.

 

Following Tulane’s presentation, UNO hosted their first green move-out event for outgoing student residents, partnering with Goodwill and their own Privateer Pantry to reduce the environmental impact of their move-out. To spread the word, flyers were distributed around campus in the weeks leading up to the event.

 

The Goodwill truck picking up donated goods at UNO

 

“Goodwill was a fantastic partner who came to campus several times over the two-day move-out and helped us keep appliances, computers, electronics, cookware, clothing, and linens out of landfills,” says Carol Lunn, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development. “Numerous boxes of food and personal care items were donated to UNO’s Privateer Pantry, which provides supplemental food support to all currently enrolled UNO students. The feedback from the students and their families was so positive that UNO plans to make these strategies traditions moving forward.”

 

Donation collection box for Privateer Pantry

 

Xavier also partnered with local non-profits for their move-out, including Goodwill, Trash Rescue, and Salvation Army. In total, their students contributed 6,000 pounds of unwanted items, plus half a truck load of furniture. In addition to diverting clothing and furniture from landfills, they were able to collect toiletries for Trash Rescue.

 

“Our students want to see more zero waste practices on campus and in their residence halls, but they need to see that they can contribute to this concept in many ways besides just recycling, through equally important strategies of reduction and reuse,” says Helena Robinson, Director of Sustainability and Quality Control at Xavier University of Louisiana. “Hosting the move-out donation event was the perfect way to get students excited about zero waste in the most relatable way. Donating encourages them to think about more than themselves and to start assessing their valuables for reduction and reuse – hopefully for the rest of their lives.”

 

 

“The implementation of more sustainable move-out practices is evidence that for the first time, the lines for communication in Louisiana’s higher education space are open and schools can learn from one another,” says Susan Russell, Executive Director of KLB. “As the Affiliates and Coalition meet in the coming school year, KLB looks forward to seeing our state’s colleges and universities continue to work collaboratively to take their campuses to the next level in terms of sustainability.”

 

Interested in becoming a University Affiliate and/or University Sustainability Coalition member? Contact programs@keeplouisianabeautiful.org.