From establishing The Thrifty Cat to researching textile applications to thrifting for vintage clothing brands in her free time, Olivia Smith has devoted her time at the University of Kentucky to promoting sustainability.
The University of Kentucky’s eighth annual Thrift Shop Pop Up marked one of its most successful years yet, with a record-setting 1,893 pounds of items donated and more than 330 students stopping by to “shop” for free clothing, shoes and accessories.
The Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment (TFISE) at the University of Kentucky selected 12 students for the inaugural cohort of Tracy Farmer Scholars conducting research in environment and sustainability.
BBN Tackles Plastic, an initiative aimed at reducing campus plastic waste through the collection of plastic bags, is expanding into select campus residence halls. The project, created by Shayna Bassi, a UK Recycling intern and communication science and disorders senior in the College of Health Sciences, has been integral at removing plastic bags from campus landfill waste.
Thrift Pop-up Shop
Apr 1, 2026, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PMGatton Student Center, Ballroom A
Come on out to UK Recycling’s 8th annual Thrift Shop Pop-Up in partnership with Student Organizations and Activities and Wildcat Wardrobe. UK students will be able to replenish their wardrobes for free while also reusing clothing items that might’ve otherwise ended up in the landfill. Clothing, ties, purses, hats, and belts will all be available.
University of Kentucky students have been making a difference across campus through the UK Sustainability Internship Program and Student Sustainability Council. Over the last 11 years, student-led research and projects have included creating a Waste Reduction Week focused on the importance of waste issues, highlighting student art related to climate change and revitalizing campus landscaping through tree planting events and garden design.
The city of Lexington, the University of Kentucky and Fayette County Public Schools invite Lexington residents to celebrate Kentucky’s rivers and streams during Water Week, March 20-29. For the seventh year, Water Week encourages Lexingtonians to find a connection to local creeks through dozens of in-person, virtual and self-guided events.
Since the University of Kentucky was founded in 1865, our campus landscape has been an important part of who we are and how our community engages with the campus. This year, UK received its 15th consecutive Tree Campus Higher Education recognition in honor of high levels of attention in the care of our campus canopy.
Chase Lobaldo, 3rd year product design student, was working in the Fabrication Lab at the University of Kentucky’s College of Design, when the Office of Sustainability approached him with a clear goal in mind: create a multi-person workspace where students, employees, and visitors can work and conversate in front of the large glass windows overlooking the intersection of S Limestone and S Upper.
The University of Kentucky’s School of Art and Visual Studies (SAVS) is reimagining what an art studio can be. Two courses, Healthy Materials Lab and Digital Matrix Modeling, led by fabrication lab specialist Hannah Smith and professor Jonathan McFadden last fall, aimed to eliminate toxic materials from studio practices and introduce students to safer, recycled, and biodegradable alternatives.
