• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Education / U-I collection keeps old student items out of the landfill

U-I collection keeps old student items out of the landfill

May 16, 2011 By Matt Kelley

Furniture being loaded onto truck at the University of Iowa.

Organizers of a project at the University of Iowa say more than two tons of household items and clothes were diverted from the Iowa City Landfill last week as students moved out of campus residence halls.

Liz Christiansen, director of the U-of-I Office of Sustainability, says student volunteers collected the unwanted items.

The two-day event netted 750 pounds of clothing, shoes and linens; 1,300 pounds of small appliances such as televisions, microwaves and refrigerators; and nearly 3,000 pounds of futons, tables and chairs. The reusable materials will be distributed to local nonprofit agencies.

“These are personal belongings that have been acquired over nine months of living on campus, so some of them have not very much wear on them,” Christiansen said. “It’s the perfect opportunity for something they may have purchased in a local retail store and just don’t want to take it home and put it in their parent’s garage over the summer.”

The student waste reduction project was led by Andrea Uhl, a U-of-I senior. Christiansen says it’s an effort that’s got bigger every year. “I think we’re all excited about making sure this grows every year, so we’re able to divert more and more material from the landfill,” Christiansen said.

Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa operate similar waste diversion programs as students move out of dorms in the spring.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, Outdoors Tagged With: University of Iowa

Featured Stories

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

Do you have to pay tax on your stimulus check?

All six in Iowa’s congressional delegation confirm Electoral College results

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC