Spartan Upcycle

11/09/2023

Have you seen Plastic Wars yet? Either way, we hope to see you next Thurs. Nov. 16 at the MSU Recycling Center for a screening and discussion. The 2020 Frontline documentary highlights the history of how we got into this plastic pollution mess, what the oil industry has to do with it, and why recycling alone won't solve the global plastic crisis. Details at https://msurecycling.com/news-stories/plastic-wars-documentary-screening/

In recognition of America Recycles Day the MSU Surplus Store & Recycling Center, in collaboration with WKAR - Public Media from Michigan State University, MSU Live On, & Michigan State University Film Studies, will host a film screening and panel discussion of Plastic Wars, a Frontline documentary.

The screening will take place on Thurs., Nov. 16, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. in the MSU Recycling material recovery facility (MRF), where 6 - 8 million pounds of recyclables are processed every year.

Before and after the film, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the MRF and see how MSU processes plastics and other campus recyclables before shipping them to local and regional vendors for conversion into post-consumer recycled content.
For more information, visit https://msurecycling.com/news-stories/plastic-wars-documentary-screening/

09/08/2023

Kick off the semester at Student Upcycle Friday! Make an upcycled planner and inspire yourself to use it!

Make an upcycled planner for this school year and inspire yourself to use it!

05/18/2023

POV: You’re dreaming of all the ways you can Upcycle this summer.📚♻️🪡

Stop by the MSU Surplus Store tomorrow from 8:30am-3:30pm to stock up on upcycle supplies!

05/16/2023

Even though graduation was a few weeks ago, we here at Spartan Upcycle are still obsessed with Steve Baibak’s Upcycled cap for RCAH’s commencement ceremony!🌎♻️

The cap was made out of discarded laundry lint and scraps of yarn!🧶

MSU’s Linen Services landfills about a dumpster full of lint daily. What are some other creative ways to reuse your laundry lint?

04/20/2023

Happy Earth Month! 🌏 Celebrate at the MSU Recycling Center this Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. at the Earth Day Bash!

See the recycling center and learn how we manage to send 95% of the material to Michigan manufacturers. ♻️ Find out why we compost with worms and see where they live! 🌱 Freecycle clothes and books that have been donated for the event by the MSU Surplus Store 📚. Make upcycled art, pot a plant, and sew a handy dispenser to help you reuse plastic bags 💚

We’ll be joined by DJs from Impact 89FM, the student radio station. 🎶

More info at https://msurecycling.com/news-stories/earth-day-bash/

This free, all-ages event is part of the MSU Science Festival and cohosted with MSU Community Sustainability and MSU Libraries Makerspace.

04/07/2023

Hey Spartans, sunshine got you feeling like going out tonight? ☀️ 😎 Put on your brightest outfit and head over to Neon Fashion Night, 7-9 pm, at the Michigan State University Museum. Upcycling, poetry, exhibits, music, and snacks!

Getting creative with secondhand clothes from Msu Surplus Store, student volunteers from MSU Community Sustainability made some great pieces for the evening!

Hope to see you there!

04/05/2023

Visit this week’s First Friday for College Students at the Michigan State University Museum. It’s Neon Fashion Night and we’re bringing clothes and odds n’ ends for Spartans to restyle and reimagine. Check out the exhibits, catch live poetry, enjoy sweet treats, and celebrate the intersection of fashion, sustainability, and science. Hosted by the MSU Museum and MSU Science Communication - SciComm. Info & sign up at https://museum.msu.edu/?event=first-fridays-for-msu-students-7

04/05/2023

Have you started any seeds yet? How are they looking? We reused a metal film reel canister, a yogurt container and a plastic tray from cupcakes, and poked holes for drainage. These sprouts are a type of Zinnia flower and have been planted in soil prepared by the Grow Green Vermicompost team here at MSU Surplus Store & MSU Recycling Center. Check out the composting process in person at the Earth Day Bash on Sat. 4/22. More info at ➡ https://msurecycling.com/news-stories/earth-day-bash/
The Earth Day Bash is hosted in collaboration with MSU Science Festival, MSU Sustainability, and MSU Libraries Hollander Makerspace.

04/03/2023

Thanks to student volunteers from MSU Community Sustainability for salvaging a couple dozen super strong 💪 magnets from discarded hard drives. Your effort to remove those tiny screws makes it possible to reuse the funky shaped, heavy duty magnets.

The IT dept. at MSU Surplus Store and MSU Recycling Center is responsible for handling campus electronics that are no longer needed. The first step is to destroy the data. Then, we practice highest and best use -- selling reusable items through the store, and recycling the e-waste with certified recyclers.

More about how we process IT/AV equipment is available here ➡️ https://msurecycling.com/news-stories/surplus-spotlight-computers-electronics/

02/21/2023

Surplus Store is open for in-person shopping this Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

In-store shopping returns this week with sales on computer monitors, dishware, & lab glass. We will also have a bulk clothing sale starting Friday.

02/18/2023

Spartans healing through art.
Fri. 2/17/23 @ MSU Recycling Center.

02/16/2023

💚 If you’re in East Lansing and want to be with fellow Spartans, drop by tomorrow (Fri.), 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for some arts & crafts, see how the recycling center works, or just hang out. We’ll be inside the Education Center at MSU Recycling Center. (Please note that the Surplus Store is closed this week.)