From Move-Out to Meaning: Dickinson’s 2025 Green Move-Out and U-Turn Sale
Dickinson is a global leader in sustainability education, and events like Green Move-out and the U-Turn Sale keep students and staff engaged at the ground level.
Annual events support sustainability & community in surprising ways
As the academic year winds down and students prepare to leave campus, a quiet transformation begins—one that turns the chaos of college move-out into a powerful act of sustainability and community care.
For more than 15 years, Dickinson’s Green Move-Out initiative and the U-Turn Sale have diverted thousands of pounds of usable items from landfills, rehoming everything from lamps and mini-fridges to books and futons through one of Carlisle’s most anticipated annual events: “Carlisle’s Largest Community Yard Sale.”
What Is U-Turn?
U-Turn, which generated $24,000 in sales in 2024, is more than just a yard sale. It’s a full-circle partnership between Dickinson and the United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County, channeling end-of-year donations into environmental good and community benefit. Unwanted items left behind by students find new life with local residents, and 100% of proceeds support essential local services.
The program was the brainchild of Lindsey Williams ’05, who still works the sale each year—an inspiring testament to the lasting impact of student-led sustainability.
New in 2025: Expanding the Vision
This year’s Green Move-Out includes several new efforts to expand its reach and deepen its impact:
- The Free xChange now accepts housewares, books and additional non-clothing items, extending its lifespan as a reuse hub beyond just fashion.
- A new storage space in Goodyear has been secured specifically for collecting senior donations during Senior Week and Commencement, a time when significant volumes of waste are typically generated.
- On graduation day, a team of Dickinson faculty and staff volunteers will join forces to gather items from seniors as they depart, helping to divert waste at the last possible moment.
- The Center for Sustainability Education (CSE) has developed new educational materials and is collaborating with the Office of Residence Life to improve logistics, communication and overall participation in Green Move-Out.
- To extend the educational value of the project, Associate Professor of Art & Art History Rachel Eng and Assistant Professor of French Hanna Roman will be teaching First-Year Seminars in Fall 2025 that use Green Move-Out as a real-world case study on waste, sustainability and social impact.
Campus as Classroom: A Living Lab for Learning
Thanks to support from the Burgess Institute for the Global Economy, students will be hired to assist with Green Move-Out data collection, photography, testimonials and logistics during and after graduation. Their work will directly inform the fall 2025 seminars, creating a powerful bridge between academic learning and real-world experience.
By using the campus as a living lab, Dickinson is not only reducing landfill waste and supporting the local economy—it’s modeling what sustainability looks like when it’s woven into the fabric of everyday life.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published April 22, 2025