UB’s end-of-the-academic-year collection efforts resulted in 14.5 tons of items not being sent to the landfill, Ken Kern, Campus Living’s associate director for sustainability, recently reported.

During student move-out week in May, the university offers a number of collection bins and programs aimed at eliminating as much landfill waste as possible. Here’s a breakdown of these efforts:

• The Hearts for the Homeless bins around campus collected 9.1 tons of donations that will help the poor and chronic homeless around Buffalo. UB’s collection effort for Hearts for the Homeless typically ranks as the largest among area schools and colleges.
• The student-led UB ReUSE program collected just over 3 tons of potentially reusable items. This was the third year for UB ReUSE, which accepts a range of items students no longer want or need, including textbooks, electronics, appliances, furniture and dorm accessories. Items collected are safely stored over the summer. Volunteers then repair and refurbish any items that can be reused. The items are sold during Opening Weekend in late August, with proceeds going back to the ReUSE program.
• Collections for the Buffalo City Mission resulted in 1.5 tons of donations.
• The UB community donated 1,381 pounds of food to the WNY Food Bank.

“I wish to thank everyone for their cooperation and efforts in helping to promote these organizations, and help produce these outstanding results,” Kern said.