Students and community partners keep thousands of items out of landfill

Jenna Morrow — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 19:25:57 +0000

Students and community partners keep thousands of items out of landfill Jenna Morrow Fri, 10/10/2025 - 13:25

Each move-out season brings a surge of unwanted items as students transition out of Boulder’s rental housing. To reduce waste and support reuse, CU Boulder’s Off-Campus Life (OCL) and the Environmental Center partnered with the City of Boulder, Boulder Area Rental Housing Association (BARHA), and local Zero Waste organizations for a coordinated effort to collect reusable items and divert materials from the landfill.

In 2025, five drop-off stations were set up on the Hill during both spring (May 11–14) and summer (July 31–August 3) move-out periods. Stations were located at 11th & Penn, 13th & Euclid, 15th & Euclid, 10th & College, and 12th & Aurora—with Aurora and 12th proving most popular in the spring, collecting 339 items, and 15th and Euclid taking the lead in the summer with 350 items.

Across both events, students and community partners made a measurable impact.

Spring 2025: 11.9 tons were sent to the landfill, while 5.145 tons were diverted, achieving a 30% diversion rate.

Summer 2025: 22.92 tons went to the landfill and 6.5 tons were diverted, for a 22% diversion rate.

Together, these efforts kept over 11 tons of materials out of the landfill in just two move-out periods. Volunteers and staff supported 43 pickups, sorted donations, and ensured items were properly managed at each site.

Looking ahead, OCL, the Environmental Center, and community partners are exploring ways to expand collection efforts into additional neighborhoods while keeping the program financially and environmentally sustainable.

Want to help?
Be part of the move-out solution next year! Whether volunteering with the Environmental Center, donating before trashing items, or shopping reused at local partners like Resource Central and CU’s Surplus Store, every action helps keep Boulder cleaner and more sustainable.

To reduce waste and support reuse, CU Boulder’s Off-Campus Life (OCL) and the Environmental Center partnered with the City of Boulder, Boulder Area Rental Housing Association (BARHA), and local Zero Waste organizations for a coordinated effort to collect reusable items and divert materials from the landfill.

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Students and community partners keep thousands of items out of landfill

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