At Boston University (MA), when over 10,000 students move out of the residence halls, they often leave many items behind. That’s why the institution got involved in the Goodwill, Not Landfill program, diverting approximately 113 tons of materials from being thrown out this past May. BU hired 15 students to keep donation areas organized, pack up textiles and help move materials. Trailers were filled with Goodwill donations, bedding and other materials were recycled, mattress toppers were processed, and certain textiles and food were donated.
The program takes a massive coordination effort, headed by BU’s zero waste manager Sarah Healey. “With move-out there’s a high volume of material really quickly,” she told Higher Ed Dive, describing previous Mays as a “disposal nightmare.”
Through collaborative partnerships with various companies and organizations, BU is working to divert as much as possible from landfills. Education is also key, Healey told the publication. Helping students focus upstream involves advising them to avoid buying too much before they move in to reduce the amount of waste at move-out time.
Read more about it all here.
