Category

Sustainability/Environmental

Submitted By

Kelsey Edman, PhD, MPH, kelsey.edman@cuanschutz.edu [2], Research Facilities Data Coordinator

Project Team

Cody Rester, cody.rester@cuanschutz.edu [3], Facilities Principal Professional
Emily Sullivan, emily.sullivan@cuanschutz.edu [4], Facilities Principal Professional

Project Description

The Equipment Reuse project collects and rehomes equipment and supplies that labs relinquish that would usually end up in a landfill before the project began. Cody and Emily collect supplies, store them, and post to an online marketplace open to the campus for anyone in need of used but operational equipment at no cost other than possible facilities costs to deliver heavy equipment.

Project Efficiency 

The project not only saves the campus money by rehoming and reusing equipment and supplies that divert the need for buying new expensive equipment, it also reduces waste by keeping perfectly functional equipment and supplies out of the trash.

Project Inspiration 

I believe there was concern about waste and not knowing what to do with lab equipment that the lab team no longer needed or uses. No one wanted to dispose of perfectly good equipment and had no means of finding another department on a large campus that can use it.

What Makes You Happiest about this Project?

I am happy that our team is stepping up to take on the role of being the equipment shephards making sure no equipment or supply that the campus spends good money on goes to waste or is disposed of prematurely. I do like knowing that the marketplace I created for Emily and Cody helps facilitate the process of matching supplies/equipment to their new home.