It's that time of year when many Western students are on the move.
Each spring, Western offers students opportunities to donate unwanted items, participate in community cleanups and dispose of waste responsibly. Whether living in residence or off campus, students can take part in efforts to reduce waste and give back to the community, prioritizing sustainability during the moving process.
Donations of food, clothing, décor, electronics and mattress toppers are encouraged as students move out of Western's residence buildings. Items placed in donation bins are shared with local charities such as Goodwill, the London Food Bank and Ark Aid Mission. (L to R) Students Jefferson Chen and Emma Lord prepare items to donate to Goodwill. (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
"By offering students opportunities to donate unwanted items and reduce waste, we're helping to minimize our environmental impact while fostering a sense of community and giving back," said Chris Alleyne, associate vice-president, Housing and Ancillary Services.
Donating unwanted items
The Furniture Depot is a long-standing initiative spearheaded by Off-Campus Housing Services that provides a place for students to donate gently used furniture and small appliances for others to pick up for free. Housing also arranges for a moving truck to pick up furniture from the neighbourhoods to the east and west of campus, to serve those who can't get their items to the Furniture Depot locations. Stickers are provided to students living in eligible areas so they can mark furniture left at the curb for donation.
Over the past 18 years, hundreds of items have been diverted from the landfill through the Furniture Depot.
For students in residence, donations of non-perishable food, gently used clothing, décor items, electronics and mattress toppers are encouraged and shared with local charities such as Goodwill, the London Food Bank and Ark Aid Mission. Bins are placed in residence lobbies during the month of April.
"It's inspiring to see students actively participating in sustainable move-out efforts. By donating items, instead of discarding them, students are directly reducing waste and supporting our shared vision of a circular campus economy." - Heather Hyde, director of sustainability at Western
Another project dubbed the "Fashion and Food Drive" engaged students across Western's 12 residence buildings by collecting gently used items throughout the year to benefit those in need. The project, initiated by residence don and second-year health sciences student Enya Law through The Purple Project and supported by residence advisor and fourth-year medical sciences student Peter Dani, was recognized with a Western Climate and Sustainability Award this year.
The collaborative effort with Housing and Ancillary Services resulted in the collection of more than 700 pounds of clothing, 150 pounds of food, 200 bedding items and more than 1,000 cooking utensils last year.
New this year, Western Sustainability is launching a "Free Store" to give the Western community a place to donate gently used academic and office supplies like binders, coffee makers or clocks. To get the Free Store up and running, the team is currently collecting items, and hopes to launch a place for the community to pick up items for free in the fall.
"Western Sustainability is committed to making it easier for students to make environmentally responsible choices," said Hyde. "Initiatives like the Free Store give new life to gently used items and support a culture of reuse that benefits the entire Western community."
Neighbourhood clean-up
Each spring, students and off-campus advisors take part in neighbourhood cleanups around campus. Staff and volunteers dispose of trash and provide students living in the area with information on responsible waste disposal, including where to donate unwanted items.
"Ensuring sustainability is a shared responsibility, both on and off campus. The spring cleanup initiatives encourage students to take action in their neighborhoods, not only supporting the local community but also reinforcing the idea that we are all part of something bigger - a commitment to sustainability that extends beyond campus boundaries," Alleyne said.
