U of Hawaii at Manoa, Students Can Turn Trash Into Treasure

Dumpster Gold or Waste Pile?

U of Hawaii at Mānoa, Students Can Turn Trash

Late July, the balcony of Walter Dodds Jr. RISE Center looked more like a thrift store graveyard than a place to stargaze. From above, the heap stood out: a generic Target mirror, to the left a lamp, a glance to the right a chair, and a laundry hamper teetering on top. All piled up, waiting for the garbage truck. One observer couldn’t help but think, “I needed this dumpster gold mine when I first moved in last year.”

At the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the story repeats itself every year. Students rush to move in during August with carts of bins, hangers, and new furniture. Then, when May rolls around, the cycle flips: move out means leaving behind piles of stuff. Chairs, couches, lamps, and even perfectly good appliances end up dumped by the sidewalk or stacked in bins that can’t handle the load.

“During the academic year, we have recycling bins in each of the building’s lobbies for student use. We also have periodic donation drives during the year. These are communicated to residents via email and signage posted within the building and at the collection site,” David Akana, Interim Director of Student Housing Services at UHM, explained.

But the reality is that posters and emails often get ignored. Finals week stress takes over, and students miss the reminders. Some dorms offer donation programs, but off-campus housing usually doesn’t—meaning bigger items like desks, couches, and microwaves are tossed in dumpsters.

“Campus Center is where everyone passes through. If donation drives had pop-ups or gave out small keepsakes, people would actually notice,” Viviana Mugavero, a sophomore, said.

Her idea shows the real problem: students do care, but the system doesn’t always make it easy. Without good visibility or equal access for all housing types, reusable items slip into the trash stream.

University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Campus Highlights

Some organizations, like Re-use Hawaiʻi, want to change that. They believe a permanent donation spot on campus could help students manage their belongings responsibly while also saving the environment. Other colleges, like the University of Washington, already run programs that collect and reuse thousands of pounds of goods each year. If UH committed to a similar system, the “dumpster graveyard” could turn into a treasure chest for new students who need it most.

“Students would feel supported during the stress of moving out by knowing there’s a designated place to drop off furniture and reusable materials. UHM would be leading a sustainability campaign that helps students manage their belongings responsibly,” said Renee Thorp from Re-use Hawaiʻi.

The truth is, consumerism creates a cycle of shop, use, and drop. But cycles can be broken. If UH makes donating and reusing as natural as shopping, students can start each school year without trashing the planet—or their wallets.

This story shows how small changes can make a big difference. If students had a permanent place to donate items, less waste would pile up, and more students could benefit from things others don’t need anymore. Turning “dumpster gold” into real treasure is a problem worth solving.

Source: