Support Grows for Laundry Detergent Sheet Program

As of March 3, the University of South Dakota’s laundry detergent sheet program has gathered 200 student signatures who support getting the laundry detergent program funded. 

The program initially had funding provided by the Student Government Association (SGA) which was later taken away due to the lack of student support. 

Generation Conscious is a company that makes laundry detergent sheets and implements distribution programs at universities across the country. This program currently distributes laundry detergent sheets to the Beede Bump in the North Complex with the hopes of expanding the program across campus. 

“The program is facing two main issues,” Generation Conscious Support Committee member Carter Mueller said. “One is that not many students know about the program and the other is that the program lost funding.” 

Near the end of the fall 2025 semester, USD’s Environmental Club created a committee called the Generation Conscious Support Committee. This committee was created in order to secure funding and further expand the detergent program to all dormitory complexes and the MUC’s C-Store. Mueller worked to secure funding and expand the university’s free laundry detergent sheet program. 

Another member in the committee is Shatha Alkhdour, who is active in community outreach. Through this, the program has been able to educate students through a multi-channel process including posters, presentations and other direct engagement. 

“What we are trying to do is go beyond just getting it funded,” Mueller said. ”We want to make sure students know about the program and its availability to them.” 

The program was started with the Green Initiative Fund and the program was funded through Student Government Association. Since there was a lack of students that used it, due to lack of knowledge, the SGA cut it from their funding. 

In order to spread the word, there have been several touchpoints implemented for the program. The committee explained the environmental benefits of detergent sheets over traditional liquids during tabling and through posters in the Beede Bump and North Complex. 

Since November 2025, sheets have been distributed to over 400 students at Charlie’s Cupboard and over 1,800 sheets have been dispensed at the Beede Bump. Community outreach also includes weekly tabling events at Charlie’s Cupboard every Tuesday and additional tabling sessions at the MUC and Fine Arts department. 

“Our biggest priority is securing the necessary funds and inventory to maintain our weekly tabling and distribution events indefinitely,” Alkhdour said. “Expanding to new locations and keeping up with student demand depends entirely on securing this consistent financial support.” 

The goal for the committee is to scale their impact. They want to install new dispensers at the Coyote Village C-Store and the MUC’s C-Store to make it available for even more students on campus.

“Outreach is the bridge between ‘knowing and doing,” Alkhdour said. “Many students want to be sustainable, but don’t know where to start or find it inconvenient.” 

By tabling and providing dispensers in dorms, the committee believes that they remove the friction of switching to eco-friendly products. When students see them consistently at the MUC or Charlie’s Cupboard, it has the potential to normalize sustainable habits and build a culture of environmental responsibility across the USD community.