Baylor Launches Sustainable Move-Out Program for ‘Bear-ly Used’ Items

As Baylor University students get ready to move out of residence halls at the end of the spring semester, students, campus departments and volunteers have joined together to ensure useful items aren’t thrown away, especially if they are “bear-ly used.” 

“Bear-ly Used” is a campuswide initiative to divert donatable items from landfills and redistribute them towards community partners and families in need. This new solution allows students who are moving out of residence halls to donate items like clothing, appliances, furniture and more that would otherwise be left behind or thrown away. The “Bear-ly Used” project reflects Baylor’s commitment to sustainability and creation care by reducing landfill waste, supporting Waco nonprofits and communities in need and engaging students in meaningful, hands-on learning.

Initiated by two Baylor Business Fellows, Joshua Yoon, a sophomore from Edmond, Oklahoma, and Nolan La, a junior from Farmers Branch, Texas, the idea was planned in collaboration with Baylor departments, including Campus Living & Learning (CL&L), Facilities Management and the Office of Sustainability. The drive behind this stemmed from Yoon and La’s desire to find homes for the goods left behind by thousands of students at the end of the spring semester.

“This project exemplifies our goal to foster a vibrant campus culture where sustainable living is celebrated and contributes to the daily intellectual, spiritual and emotional wellbeing for all members of the Baylor family,” said Gary Cocke, M.S., senior director of sustainability at Baylor. 

Cocke recognizes the important role the Office of Sustainability plays in supporting this initiative. Along with institutionalizing the opportunity, “perhaps the most rewarding contribution is mentoring and facilitating a passionate project from students, while providing visibility to the considerations that must be accounted for to move from a good idea to successful implementation,” he said.

From now through the end of move-out, 13 collection locations will be set up across campus near residence halls, each featuring clearly labeled trash and recycling containers, as well as locked pods designated for donations. These pods will be managed and accessed by trained student volunteers who are part of the “Bear-ly Used” team. Each residence hall lobby also will have a designated donation staging area. 

“Bear-ly Used” is partnering with three nonprofits for donations this semester: 

• Lovely Village, a nonprofit for survivors of sexual assault; 
• ReStore, Waco Habitat for Humanity; and 
• Green City Recyclers, a Houston-based textile recycling group.

“We plan to maintain the ‘Bear-ly Used’ branding to continue the program annually with the support of student leaders,” Cocke said. “I hope that this can be a point of pride for students as we do good work, support our community and grow future leaders for environmental and societal good.”

Volunteers are needed and welcomed from Friday, May 9, through Sunday, May 18, and can sign up here.  

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.