The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, collected more than 16 tons of reusable goods during spring move-out and kept landfill waste from major commencement events to just 217 pounds through coordinated waste reduction efforts.

The university gathered more than 32,000 pounds of clothing, bedding, shoes, household items and food from residence halls during the spring semester, redirecting them to campus programs and local nonprofits rather than landfills. The total represents the largest collection in the program’s more-than-25-year history.

Six commencement and end-of-semester events attended by approximately 9,500 people achieved a waste diversion rate exceeding 90 percent, with 1,850 pounds of compost collected during the celebrations.

“Many of the items students leave behind still have a lot of usable life left in them,” Alison Richardson, program manager at the UM Office of Campus Sustainability and Innovation, said in the story. “By collecting and redistributing those materials, we can reduce waste while supporting students and local organizations.”

The 16.2 tons of donations included 5.6 tons of clothing, 4.7 tons of bedding, 4.4 tons of household items, 0.9 tons of shoes and 0.6 tons of food and personal care items.

Campus programs receiving donations included the Planet Blue Student Leaders FreeStore, University Career Center Clothes Closet and Maize and Blue Cupboard, which received more than 1,000 pounds of food and personal care items. Seven local nonprofits also benefited, which included Jewish Family Services, Ann Arbor Thrift Shop, Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, House N2 Home, Gretchen’s House Foundation, Kiwanis and Goodwill. Some items will be stored over the summer and redistributed to students during fall FreeStore events.

Volunteers from Student Life Sustainability, Graham Sustainability Institute, Michigan Sustainability Community, Michigan Dining and LSA Sustainability helped organize and sort the donations.

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‘uncommon thinkers reuse what common thinkers refuse.’

-j.r.d. tata

*Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata ( 1904-1993)was a French-born Indian industrialist, and aviator, who was the chairman of

       Tata Sons and Tata Group.

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source credits: advance media, photo: roger hart, um campus sustainability office