Written by Office of Sustainability student associate, Meghan Jachna, class of 2027. Image designed by student associate, MC Ramirez Gomez, class of 2027.
This article was inspired by Sarah Lazarovic’s Buyerarchy of Needs model.
What does it mean for us as a WashU community to structure our material needs through a sustainability lens? The WashU “buyerarchy of needs” provides an outline through which we can guide our decisions to prioritize thoughtful consumption. With this simple model adapted from Sarah Lazarovic’s original, you can access the plentiful circularity resources available on campus while also helping our planet!
In a world where overconsumption challenges the planet’s resources, the Buyerarchy of Needs offers a refreshing framework to guide sustainable choices. Adapted from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, this model shifts our mindset from buying new items to prioritizing practices that reduce waste and promote environmental consciousness.
Lazarovic’s Buyerarchy of Needs is a pyramid that highlights levels of action, with the most sustainable choices at the base and the least sustainable (but sometimes necessary) “buy” option at the top.
1. Wear/Use What You Have / WashU Reuse Program
Wear what you have: Put together new outfits using what you have. Take one weekend to go through your closet and then get together with friends to showcase what you might borrow from each other.
As a college student constantly moving it is hard to find the time and money to buy new pieces and recreate a new wardrobe for every season. There are so many ways to revive your style without the collection filling up your already-overcrowded closet and overstuffed drawers. Exercise your creativity!
WashU Reuse Program: Did you know that it is possible to do your online shopping specialized for all things WashU? With the WashU Reuse online platform you can shop for university surplus items ranging from office supplies, textbooks, lab equipment, or more expensive machinery such as 3D printers, laser cutters, or more. Do you need new school supplies for your classes? These items go to waste far too often, so shop from this easily accessible collection on the Reuse platform instead of purchasing new. WashU Reuse also provides the option of reselling your items. You can post your item through the database and give it a new life in a new department, lab, or classroom on the WashU campus. Use this platform as a means of not only reducing waste, but also better connecting the WashU community across departments. Follow the steps on the website to get started today!
2. SWAP Trading Post
Check out WashU’s SWAP (Sharing With A Purpose) on South40. This trading post is located next to Bear Bikes in the row of student businesses and it is open every weekday from 4-6pm for students to stop by to look for items you may need or to donate items you no longer want. Need a new winter coat for the harsh winter days? Walk right out of your dorm to an entire shop full of options. Everything in the store is free and this is a wonderful opportunity to give gently used items a new life. College may be the only time you have a thrift store right outside your door. Take advantage of this resource!
3. SOS & Circularity
Circular economy practices mean choosing options that extend an item’s life, keeping them in circulation and out of waste streams. In addition to WashU Reuse, WashU’s Share Our Stuff (SOS) program and the Circularity Center are built around this concept.
SOS: Most students would agree that move-in and move-out days on campus are hectic times with too much stuff and too little time. Supplies that students don’t deem to be the essentials too often end up in dumpster piles, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The Share Our Stuff (SOS) program, WashU’s annual move-out collection drive, helps redirect your stuff from landfill to finding another good home. Items ranging from school supplies, furniture, shelving and storage, books, electronics, and more are accepted and will be brought to the Circularity Center. Cassie Hage, the assistant director of the Office of Sustainability, manages the circularity programs on campus and reminds students that it’s really important to take great care of the materials in the sharing cycle. “Rather than treat items as disposable,” Hage says, “become a meticulous steward of the items when they are in your care to ensure they can stay in the use cycle as long as possible.”
One way students can do this, especially when using the SOS program is by making sure the items they donate have all their pieces secured together. For instance, ensure that you tape together your electric tea kettle and the base, tie your shoes to each other, and secure your charging cords to their electronic match. This can save staff and volunteers hours of time spent matching items with their missing counterparts and reduce the chance of your donation becoming garbage.
Circularity Center: This is WashU’s center for storing all collected apartment, dorm, or office items to support a circular economy. Hage emphasizes that concepts of circularity and the sharing economy make a lot of sense in the student context because they allow students the opportunity to “borrow, buy used, lend, and give back” instead of having to store things between semesters or have perfectly functional supplies end up as waste.
Hage further explains, “Having both a culture of sharing and infrastructure for these exchanges is critical. Both take tending and community participation. Students can get involved in any of the organizations and initiatives that create spaces and pathways for sharing to ensure their continuity and growth.” The Circularity Center provides the opportunity for students to do just this.
Visit the Circularity Center and learn more about how you can incorporate practices of circularity into your everyday life, and if you want to be more involved, you can reach out to Hage.
4. Thrift
Did you know that WashU is located within a hub of thrift stores? The Loop and Cherokee Street are prime locations for a one-of-a-kind thrifting experience. Trendy locations near the Loop such as Avalon Exchange and Found Vintage offer a thrifting experience only a quick walk away from campus. Cherokee Street, a short trip from WashU, is also a central location for some of the best thrifting St. Louis has to offer. Shops such as Mesa Home, City Mouse Vintage, and Your Friend’s Apartment offer unique and creative pieces to choose from to complement your personalized style. Additionally, check out Refresh, a non-profit resale store that is a very short walk from one of the WashU Shopper Shuttle stops in Brentwood. Take advantage of WashU’s central location within the St. Louis community to craft the perfect outfit for your next weekend adventure. St. Louis thrifting is an excellent way to shop sustainably and support your local community.
5. Buy Less
At the peak of the pyramid is buying new, but with intention. If purchasing is necessary, prioritize quality over quantity. Invest in durable, ethically made products that align with your values and minimize long-term environmental impact.
A key tip to take into account when doing your sustainable shopping is to look out for greenwashing which is becoming increasingly common as a way for businesses to attract more customers through false or misleading claims about their sustainability efforts. Make sure you do your research on the company before making a purchase. Learn more about how to avoid greenwashing and ensure your dollars count.
Why the Buyerarchy Matters
Adopting the Buyerarchy of Needs isn’t just about consuming less—it’s about consuming smarter. Each step of the pyramid encourages mindfulness and creativity in addressing our wants and needs. By shifting our approach to consumption, we can collectively reduce the strain on our planet while saving money and discovering joy in simplicity.
Put it into Practice
Did you know that WashU has a sustainable reuse program for almost every item you may need on a daily basis on campus? Let’s walk through a hypothetical day in your life looking at the items you may need and how you can get them through a sustainable program on campus!
| 8:00 am: Wake up and pick out your outfit of the day with your new clothes from SWAP or the Circularity Center |
| 9:00 am: Get breakfast with your roommates in Bear’s Den or the Village with your Reuse Pass container |
| 9:45 am: Bike to your first class using your rental bike from Bear Bikes |
| 10:00 am: First class of the day with your books from Olin library |
| 12:00 pm: Go to your outdoor lunch with your friends using your reusable bamboo utensil set from the Office of Sustainability |
| 1:00 pm: Use your school supplies from WashU Reuse Surplus Program at your second class |
| 3:00 pm: Attend your internship interview wearing your business professional outfit from the WashU Professional Clothing Closet |
| 5:00 pm: Enjoy your club dinner and speaker event using the WashU Greenware supplies |
| 7:00 pm: Take an evening scooter ride to Clementine’s ice cream for dessert using an e-scooter rental or the South Campus shuttle. |
| 8:00 pm: Stop by WashU’s Makerspace to create a unique hand-made gift for your friend’s birthday that is coming up |
| 9:00 pm: Head back to the dorm and relax on the comfy bean bag you got from the Swamp Sale while doing homework |