Don’t dump it — donate it!

 You don’t realize how much stuff you’ve collected until it’s time to move out. The semester flies by, and suddenly, you're staring at a dorm room full of clothes you barely wore, kitchen gadgets you may have forgotten about and storage bins shoved under the bed. What once felt like organized chaos now looks like a mountain of things you no longer want to haul home. And every year, thousands of those perfectly usable items like lamps, dishes, blankets, and even unopened food could end up in garbage dumpsters across campus.

The Office of Sustainability wants students to know that moving out doesn’t have to mean sending everything to the landfill. From donating and swapping to recycling and composting, there are plenty of ways to lighten your load without creating waste.

 What is Give It Up For Good?

Give It Up For Good is an annual donation initiative organized by USC Housing that helps students give their unwanted items a second life. Instead of tossing things into the trash, students are encouraged to donate clothing, household goods, small appliances and non-perishable food during move-out season. The program has been part of USC’s sustainability efforts for over 13 years and continues to make an impact every spring.

“The excess of student move-out was one of the first kinds of visceral sustainability initiatives on campus because it was a safety issue, it was a trash issue, and 'there’s a higher, better use for this material' issue,” explains Larry Cook, Director for Sustainability.

For students living on campus, participating is simple. About two weeks before move-out, large, labeled donation boxes appear in residence hall lobbies, lounges and common areas. Students can drop off clothes, dishes, toiletries, small appliances and unopened food items. All donations are collected and distributed to local nonprofits and organizations that can make good use of them.

How Students Can Participate

The Give It Up For Good program is designed primarily for students living on campus, but off-campus students aren’t left out. Those living in nearby apartments or houses can participate by donating to local organizations such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, His House and Habitat for Humanity. Many of these organizations accept furniture, clothing and household goods year-round.

In addition to formal donation programs, students can also think creatively about how to rehome items they no longer want. Hosting a clothing or apartment supply swap with friends, posting free items on Buy Nothing groups or donating directly to USC’s CommUnity Shop are all ways to lighten the move-out load without sending everything to the landfill.

Cook encourages students to step back and think about how they accumulate so much stuff in the first place.

Recycling and Composting Options on Campus

While donation is one way to prevent waste, recycling is another key piece of USC’s sustainability puzzle. Move-out season can leave piles of cardboard boxes, plastic bins, paper, and other recyclable materials that shouldn’t be tossed in the trash.

USC offers several recycling drop-off locations to all students, faculty and staff. The most comprehensive station is located behind Green Quad on the loading dock. There, students can drop off mixed paper, glass bottles, aluminum cans, plastics, and mixed bags.

The university also provides a public compost drop-off at the Sustainable Carolina Garden. Any leftover food waste students don’t want to pack up and take home can be composted instead of trashed.

For off-campus students, recycling options can be more limited. Many apartment complexes in Columbia do not provide recycling services. However, USC’s drop-off locations are open to everyone, and students are encouraged to bring their recyclables to campus to divert them from the landfill.

Beat Clemson

This year, recycling on campus comes with a side of healthy competition. Throughout April, USC is participating in a recycling challenge against Clemson University. The goal is simple: see which school can recycle the most and reduce the most waste.

“If you’re on campus at all, please recycle,” McNevin said. “If you live off campus and wanted to bring your recycling to campus to help us out, that would be great.”

Students can contribute by bringing recyclables from their apartments or homes to campus, spreading the word among friends and making sure that every recycled item ends up in the correct bin during move-out.

A more sustainable start of summer

As students prepare to leave campus and head home for the summer, the move-out process doesn’t have to mean overflowing dumpsters and wasted resources. Whether it’s donating gently used items, recycling responsibly, or composting food waste, every effort counts.

And the benefits go beyond sustainability. Donated items from Give It Up For Good support local nonprofits, reduce clutter and can help fellow students next year. Recycling and composting lessen the university’s environmental footprint while promoting long-term habits of conscious consumerism.

It’s easy to overlook sustainability in the rush and chaos of packing, but a few small actions can make a big difference.

For more information about Give It Up For Good, recycling options and sustainability efforts on campus, visit www.sc.edu/sustainability or follow @sustainablecaro on Instagram for tips and updates.