As a newcomer to Buffalo ReUse, I am amazed every day at the work this organization does for the Buffalo community and our environment. With only four days left until the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition premiere, it is a perfect time to discuss the impact Buffalo ReUse had on our community through the Extreme Makeover process.

Through the Green Demolition of the Powell home we reused and recycled a total of 870 tons of material including bricks, stone, metal, and concrete. If that 870 tons of materials had gone to a landfill, it would cost $21,750 to dump, but instead ReUse reinvested those materials into the Buffalo community and our environment through reuse and recyling.

Editor’s Note: A few people have questioned this number, saying it’s too high. Emily is reporting this correctly, based on WasteCap’s diversion report for the entire project. WasteCap’s numbers are correct, but they’re reporting on the entire project, not just the green demolition. We’re still analyzing the figures, but it’s safe to say when we remove clean fill, concrete and stone from this equation our diversion rate of what would normally be thrown away is way up there in the 80-90% range. We’ll report more as we get a handle on the numbers. (Kevin Hayes)

By diverting 93.3% of the waste from the Powell house within 15 hours, we have proven the value and effectiveness of green demolition. Instead of wasting tons and tons of material by sending it to a landfill, that material can be reused to improve our community, provide a cheaper alternative to new material, and create jobs through the green demolition process.

The Extreme Makeover experience has also shown the benefits of green demolition for individuals. By choosing green demolition over traditional demolition, individuals can help themselves and their community. When you contract with a traditional demolition company, you pay for their services, your house is crushed into rubble, then the rubble are buried in a landfill. By contracting a green demolition with Buffalo ReUse, you get more for what you pay for:

• You receive up to half of the cost of demolition back when you file your taxes
• You make useable materials like windows, tubs, brick and doors available to the public
• You help the environment because there is less debris to bury in the landfill
• You help the community because many people are looking for lower cost materials
• You build Buffalo because we use the revenue to improve neighborhoods

We are very proud of the impact Buffalo ReUse makes on the Buffalo community, and we hope you will all come to join us in celebrating one of our accomplishments at the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition premiere on January 24th!