Inaugural Give and GoGreen event huge success

Plans are already underway to expand next year’s program

A pilot program to collect unwanted items from students moving out of the dorms for the summer has given renewed life to more than 3,000 lbs. of goods that were slated for the trash heap.

Donated goods were divided into five categories: clothing, non-perishable food, school and office supplies, electronics and household items, books/CDs/DVDs

The FIU GoGreen Team partnered with the Residence Hall Association, Panthers Going Green and the Facilities Management recycling team on the Give and GoGreen initiative. Sean Koester, a Spring 2011 intern for the Office of University Sustainability, organized the event. Residents of Lakeview North and South plus Everglades, Panther and Towers residence halls participated, jumping at the chance to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills as a result of their annual mass exodus.

Ninety-five percent of the 3,000 pounds of goods collected was clothing, which was sorted and donated to Miami Rescue Mission. Books, CDs and DVDs were given to Book Drives Inc., which refurbished and sold the items. In addition to planting a tree for every book sold, the company returns a portion of the proceeds from the sale of those books collected at FIU back to the Office of University Sustainability. The office intends to use the funds for future green campus initiatives.

Plans for next year’s event will be revealed in early 2012, but organizers say they will expand the event to the university apartments and Biscayne Bay Campus.

Office of University Sustainability’s Ali Dutton and Sean Koester with some of the donated items.

— By Rachael Congdon, intern, Office of University Sustainability