\n\tBy SHANNON O. WELLS<\/p>\n
\n\tPerhaps because of the $5 fee required to take part, a reusable to-go container program introduced in 2016 failed to catch on around Oakland and was retired after one semester.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tPitt Eats\u2019 USEFULL reusable container program<\/a>, however, which launched in 2025, is proving much more palatable.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThat barrier was removed. There\u2019s no fee to use it,\u201d noted Laura Jellum, assistant director of marketing and communications in the Department of Finance and Operations. \u201cIt\u2019s available at more than half of dining locations, and it\u2019s built directly into the mobile ordering experience. When something is easy to use, students use it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe 2025 Pitt Sustainability Plan<\/a> includes a goal to offer reusable to-go containers for food and beverages at more than 50% of campus dining locations by 2030. As of the end of fiscal year 2026, USEFULL was rolled out to 39% of campus dining locations, she noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWith the beginning of this academic year, USEFULL is available at over 50% of locations, achieving the Pitt Sustainability Plan goal early.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tAmong USEFULL\u2019s benefits in making reusable containers a \u201cconvenient part of the everyday dining experience,\u201d Jellum cited its reliance on single-use packaging and its roles in diverting waste from landfills and supporting Pitt\u2019s broader campus sustainability goals.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cAs with any reusable container program, the primary challenge is encouraging participants to build the habit of returning containers on time,\u201d she said. \u201cAs USEFULL expands to more retail locations across campus, Pitt Eats is also growing the network of return locations to make the process as convenient and accessible as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tUSEFULL, which expanded to additional retail locations across campus in the 2025-26 academic year, is the latest among several reuse and sustainability initiatives that have proved successful.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tPitt Surplus<\/a>, which started in 1979, is the University\u2019s longest-running reuse effort, Jellum noted. The store sells campus furniture, equipment and electronics to the public and partners with organizations like Global Links and Habitat for Humanity to redistribute materials that don\u2019t sell on site.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tIn fiscal year 2026, Pitt Surplus sold 3,943 unique items and recycled 378,889 pounds of materials including:\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a010,139 pounds of printers,\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a05,551 pounds of TVs, \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a018,654 pounds of generic electronics,\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a015,875 pounds of textiles,\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0204 pounds of light bulbs, \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a05,968 pounds of batteries and\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0320,184 pounds of scrap metal.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tA new Pitt Surplus website <\/a>will roll out this fall, she noted, intended to make purchasing surplus products even easier.<\/p>\n \n\tSome other popular programs include:<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022 Move Out Clean Out<\/a> (formerly Clutter for a Cause) diverts used dorm essentials from the landfill each spring during student move-out, including furniture, electronics, textiles and food. Most of what\u2019s collected is resold through Thriftsburgh and Pitt Surplus.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe 2026 event collected more than 25,000 pounds of material, a 13.6% increase over last year, Jellum noted, and introduced an on-site resale option to let shoppers buy collected items on the spot. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cItems collected each spring also get a second life each August at the Reuse Rummage Sale, where they\u2019re resold to returning students at affordable prices, closing the loop between move out and move in,\u201d Jellum said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u2022 Clean & Swap gives Pitt employees and students a chance to clear out unwanted office and lab items and shop free of charge among what others have donated. Since the event started in 2020, it has diverted more than 12 tons of office and medical supplies from the landfill, she noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n