University of Alberta's Eco Move Out gives students a sustainable way to leave campus
Zadwadiuk said while the initiative predominately gathers clothing, toiletries and home goods, students also have the opportunity to donate electronic items and other recyclable materials
University of Alberta's Eco Move Out gives students a sustainable way to leave campusBack to video
But students at the University of Alberta, won’t be stuck holding onto stuff they don’t know what to do with. Instead they can donate non-perishables, clothing and other goods on their way out as part of the university’s Eco Move Out initiative.
Article content
Brett Zawadiuk, manager of residence occupancy and recruitment at the University of Alberta, said the initiative began in the 2010s and has grown each year. in 2023 they collected more than 27,000 pounds of goods.
“It’s around that time of year that students start realizing, ‘Oh, I’ve got my final exams coming up,’ so we start communicating these avenues to make their move-out experience as seamless as possible and give them a means to give back and provide a second life,” Zawadiuk said.
Edmonton Sun Headline News
Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Edmonton Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Article content
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Item collection started in March and students will have until Sunday to drop off items at donation bins located inside residence buildings.
Zawadiuk said while the initiative predominately gathers clothing, toiletries and home goods, students also have the opportunity to donate electronic items and other recyclable materials, which keeps them out of local landfills.
Community partners for the initiative include Goodwill, who will receive donated items including electronics, clothing, toiletries and household goods, and the Edmonton and Campus Food Banks, who will receive non-perishable food donations.
“I think the main way that the program has grown is through the number of items and the types of items that can be donated and also the breadth of the agencies we work with right now,” Zawadiuk said. “We work with the campus food bank and the Mustard Seed both for food, as well as toiletry items for donation.
Advertisement 4
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“We also work with Goodwill industries of Alberta, they take everything from gently used and new clothing items, household items, small appliances or furnishing, things like that. And then also working with computer recycling for any unusable computers, laptops, mobile phones, batteries, things like that, that need to be properly recycled.”
The program is helping students utilize easily accessible donation bins and to move away from the immediate response to drop off goods at a dumpster. Zawadiuk said while the initiative is mainly for students who move off campus, those who live off-campus and are looking to donate items can reach out to the campus food bank directly.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.