Establishing a Decade of Eco-Friendly Routines: Goodbye, Goodbuy!

In the heart of autumn, our university community comes together for a unique event that embodies sustainability and community spirit - Goodbye, Goodbuy! Now in its 10th year, this student-led initiative has grown from humble beginnings to a significant contributor to our campus and beyond.

The Goodbye, Goodbuy! sale, which takes place during the fall semester, offers a wide array of donated items at thrift store prices. This year, more than 22,000 pounds of donations were collected, not including two tractor-trailers filled with furniture. The items range from electronics and designer clothing to art projects and various household items, such as a ukulele and an industrial coffee machine.

Some of the notable contributors to this year's sale include Henry's restaurant, which donated kitchenware, Barnes & Nobles, which provided furniture, hangers, and racks, and the Gene Polisseni Center, which donated tables. Our university Housing also contributes by donating furniture they are replacing.

Goodbye, Goodbuy! is more than just a sale; it's a chance for college students to implement sustainability in their everyday lives. This year, the program had 11 student captains and over 100 volunteers, including university employees, staff from other area colleges, and even students from other universities. Volunteers are invited to a presale or can use a $5 certificate during the sale.

The program's first director was Nick Giordano '16 (management information systems), who took the helm in 2015. Since then, the program has been under the leadership of dedicated students, such as Alden Smith, a 2024 finance graduate, who served as the program's director this year.

Enid Cardinal, senior advisor to the president for strategic planning and sustainability, appreciates the program's success. "Goodbye, Goodbuy! is a testament to the power of student-led initiatives and the commitment to sustainability within our university community," she said.

The current student captain, Griebel, is proud of the program's continued success after 10 years. "Goodbye, Goodbuy! is more than just a sale; it's a community effort to promote sustainability and reduce waste," he said.

The circular process of Goodbye, Goodbuy! helps save items from entering landfills, reduce carbon emissions, and lower costs for the university. Money generated from the sale is used to offset some of the costs to run the program. Any unsold items from Goodbye, Goodbuy! are donated to Goodwill.

As Goodbye, Goodbuy! continues to grow, it remains a shining example of student-led sustainability efforts on our campus. It's a testament to the power of community spirit and the commitment to a greener future.