BUILDING MATERIAL REUSE
ALTERNATIVES EXIST!
Disposal of ReUsable Materials is no longer an option!

I don’t talk much about the fellowship Buffalo ReUse was awarded from the Echoing Green Foundation in 2007, but I have tremendous respect for the mission of Echoing Green in supporting cutting edge ideas, social innovators, and entrepreneurship (www.echoinggreen.org). This foundation is cutting edge because they support risk takers, efforts committed to action and outcomes, and innovations that have the potential to create positive change.

Echoing Green is taking the lead in supporting a paradigm shift in how not for profits can be structured and sustained in the future. Social ventures conduct business in a thoughtful and meaningful way, responding to critical community and social needs, while also generating revenue to fund programmatic goals and operational expenses. It has long been the priority of Buffalo ReUse to strive for long term financial sustainability through a viable earned income model. This model has immense potential, but we need your help!

Our primary service, green demolition, depends largely on developers, builders, government, and homeowners being aware that alternatives exist. They need to know there are options to demolition that protect the environment, support local hiring and training, and save them money. Over the next few months, we’ll focus our marketing and media efforts to communicate the benefits of this service. When buildings are being taken down, we want ReUse to be at the table.

Material reclamation and salvage is a second service that helps residents, builders, retailers, and demolition contractors divert material from the landfill (and save money at the same time). In the coming months we will all witness tons of materials placed street side for bulk trash pickups. Rehabilitation projects will result in tons of reusable materials being senselessly tossed into dumpsters and carted to landfills. Scratch and dent and surplus materials are often discarded because they take up valuable retail space and because low disposal rates offer a quick and efficient solution.
We can’t continue on the course of rampant consumption and disposal; materials must be reclaimed and reused. The acquisition of these materials creates a supply of low cost materials for folks in the neighborhood supporting rehabilitation and repairs.

The ReSOURCE, our low cost building supply store and education destination, offers unique materials, low cost materials, and architectural elements for architects, artists, homeowners, landlords, contractors, developers, and builders. The revenues we generate support our neighborhood development efforts and help us grow and maintain the space. Volunteers and interns play a huge part in growing and developing the store to facilitate sales and educate our customers about the use and reuse of reclaimed materials.

We need to expand these services. Community awareness, marketing, targeted outreach, and media networking are critical components in casting the net so more folks know that alternatives exist.

The Vision:  To achieve long term financial self sustainability through the expansion of our services, the acquisition of materials, the development of new markets for reused materials, and the growth of sales at the ReSource.

The NEEDS:

• Marketing Experts and Strategic Planners who can assist in the development of a plan for expanding our services in the region.
• Graphic designers who can create new print materials for targeted mailings, posters, leaflets, etc which engage the public visually.
• Social networking to expand our existing presence on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and on our Blog.
• Website Developers to create new designs and approaches to market our services at www.buffaloreuse.org.
• Database designers and data entry support – it’s critical for us to organize our contacts and supporters and maintain a list of current clients and potential clients.
• Media Consultants to support media outreach and networking to get information about our services out to the community.
• Special Events Planners to plan, coordinate, and facilitate special events that spread awareness of our mission and purpose.
• Videographers, musicians, and photographers who can develop and distribute through a variety of media a clear picture of the scope of our services.

The STEPS to get involved:

• Send an email to volunteer {at} buffaloreuse(.)org with a description of your ideas and interests, including your contact information.
• Attend planning, sessions, brainstorms, and events where the planning and implementation for these ideas will begin and take place.  We’ll inform you of sessions relevant to your interests.

Implementation: Michael Gainer and Caesandra Seawell are coordinating the effort to expand demand for our services. Stay tuned for upcoming organizing meetings.

Onward,

Michael and the ReUse Gang