From Preloved to Reloved: Highlights of Our Latest Drop and Adopt Cycle

The Drop and Adopt initiative is a thoughtful program that started in Fall 2024, designed to better welcome new student residents while addressing the significant waste issue during semester transitions. By redistributing preloved items from our community, we not only reduce waste but also demonstrate our community’s care for one another. This program encourages sustainable practices while ensuring every student finds essential items as they settle into their residential halls.

We’re excited to share the success of the third cycle of this program, which took place this fall and winter. With many students moving out at the end of the Fall Term having purchased their household items from our distribution booth over the summer, this cycle marked significant growth—reaching four times the amount collected during our initial run in Fall 2024.

This year, we also expanded our collection to include donations from staff, who brought in useful electric appliances, kitchenware, and homeware items, resulting in an impressive 248 kg of contributions.

Overall, our community came together to donate a total of 1,073 kg of items, with beddings being the largest category. All items were carefully sorted, cleaned, and tested by students from the Green Team, along with staff volunteers from the Library, Human Resources Office, Campus Management Office, Center for Language Education, Division of Environment & Sustainability, and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

 “Volunteering in the ‘Drop and Adopt’ program showed me how powerful reuse can be for both our students and the planet. Seeing preloved items find new life was deeply rewarding. I hope more people will join us to cut waste and build a greener, more sustainable HKUST,” shared Venia Mak from Library.

“Drop and Adopt really helped me put into perspective how much work and consideration we have to put in to make a project run smoothly, especially when it comes to sustainability or secondhand items where people may still be a bit reluctant. I also think it's such a good opportunity for me to understand how I can run something on a similar scale or nature in the future,” reflected Ekko Chiu, an Environmental Management and Technology (EVMT) student.

This year, 635 HKUST community members benefited directly from the distributed items, with 72% being students, with staff, campus contractors, campus residents, and domestic helpers also benefitting. The program not only provided essential items but also fostered a strong sense of community among participants.

After distribution, the remaining beddings and towels totaling 125 kg were donated to local charities, including Refugee Union, Hong Kong Dog Rescue, and Home for Homeless Dogs. This ensured that even surplus items were repurposed for those in need.

We extend our gratitude to the Dean of Students’ Office for supporting collections from student residential halls, the Office of Global Learning for promoting the initiative to exchange students, the Campus Management Office’s Removal Team for assisting with the logistics of donation collection, and the Campus Development Office and Academic Registry for providing essential storage and sorting space. Thank you to our campus community for coming together to make Drop and Adopt possible!

The overwhelming support for Drop and Adopt highlights the power of empathy and community spirit. We look forward to building on this success for future cycles, with the aim of continually reducing waste and fostering a culture of care within HKUST!

Watch our video to learn more about the program!