Posted 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 13, 2025
UWL program saves hundreds of items from landfill during campus move-out
Unwanted items avoided the landfill and received new life thanks to the Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine program at UW-La Crosse.
The program, launched last spring in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region, provides students moving out of UWL’s residence halls with a convenient, sustainable way to reuse furniture, electronics and other items.
This spring, UWL staff and volunteers collected 333 items from two drop-off sites near Reuter and Angell halls, and nearly 90% of those items were redistributed to local organizations or individuals.
“The most sustainable thing is to reuse your items, but for some individuals on our campus, that may not be a possibility,” says Andrew Ericson, UWL’s Sustainability Program manager. With limited space in landfills, recovering pre-loved items that are still useful has major benefits to the environment and to people in the community.
"Whether they're shelving units, couches or chairs, they still are usable, and we think that either our campus community or the larger community could use those items,” Ericson says.
While the program is just getting started, it is already making a major impact and garnering widespread praise.
In the program’s inaugural year, UWL and Habitat for Humanity received the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Recycling Excellence Award. The award highlights ideas and strategies, with proven track records, that organizations can implement to improve their own recycling or reuse initiatives.
Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine has been a hit among community partners as well.
“The Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine program goes hand in hand with our mission to reuse donated items,” says Erin (EJ) Lisota, operations manager for theExchange, a furniture bank serving greater La Crosse. “At theExchange, we collaborate with local organizations to provide home essentials at no cost for community members in need. We are grateful to partner with UWL in this program. Our volunteers had a wonderful experience getting to know the team and received many items ... that are always high-need items for us.”
Ericson says the success of the program would not be possible without the dedication of UWL staff and volunteers, as well as a commitment to sustainability by students moving out for the summer.
While Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine is only offered to students living on campus, anyone is welcome to take a donated item. Off-campus students are encouraged to work with their landlords to follow move-out processes outlined in the terms of their leases.
The Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine program is one of many ways UWL embraces sustainability and promotes a healthy environment.
Other recent examples include the Hįnųkwas Tree Trail that launched this spring, a reduction in single-use items at university dining facilities and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on campus.
