Over the last year and a half, ReUse has participated in the discussion of diverting organic debris from the landfill. Landfills are really no place for vegetable waste and there are programs across the country which send that material to compost facilities and make much better use of it.  Composting also means JOBS! Buffalonians, you need to start asking for a compost facility; we need to start moving toward a lifestyle which supports the reuse of food waste and decreases the amount of non-degradable food packaging waste.
For our part, ReUse has started composting on a small scale–(we call it ReDOO)–at least as much as our neighbors will allow at this point. If you patronize Amy’s Place or Lexington Co-op you are helping build up our community gardens by contributing to the compost pile. Please tell them thank you from us the next time you go there for a salad or an omelette! Twice a week we receive or pickup the veggie waste, eggshells and coffee grounds and add it to your leaves, lawn clippings and shredded paper. We hope to add more diners and compost heaps on various gardens throughout Buffalo over the summer.
In the meantime, take advantage of the opportunity to educate yourself a little more about the movement toward a more sustainable WNY.
Gary Feinland announces a Free EPA WEBINAR SERIES: Food Waste Reduction and Management.
Food waste is the third largest stream of waste in the U.S. after paper and yard waste. The social, economic, and environmental impacts of food waste are enormous, including increased generation of greenhouse gas, negative impacts on sanitation and health, and the loss of potential improvements in soil health and food production.

To help address these impacts, EPA Region 2 is partnering with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Solid Waste Resource Renewal Group at Rutgers University to offer a series of webinars designed to provide education on the best avenues and methods of food waste management.

Generators of food waste, government representatives, and public stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

February 23, 1:00 – 2:30 pm (EST)
Overview of Food Waste, Climate Change Connection, and Waste Audits

March 10, 1:00 – 2:30 pm (EST)
Separation and Collection of Food Waste

March 17, 1:00 – 2:30 pm (EST)
Waste Reduction through Reuse

March 31, 1:00 – 2:30 pm (EST)
Composting and End-of-Life Management

April 7, 1:00 – 2:30 pm (EST)
Putting the Pieces Together and EPA Tools

For registration and information please visit www.trainex.org/FoodWaste

Gary Feinland
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Bureau of Solid Waste, Reduction and Recycling
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7253
518-402-8705
www.nyrecycles.org

From David Bennink, our teacher, mentor and biggest supporter:

To Buffalo Reuse -

This is a note to let you know how thankful we are for what you accomplished on the Extreme Home Makeover television show. When I say ‘we’, I mean all of us in the reusable building materials industry who can recognize the benefits to our industry of high-profile success stories such as your Powell project.

I was amazed to see how much time was dedicated to the subjects of building deconstruction, construction waste management, and building material reuse. Watching intently, I noted at least 6-10 instances where our industry had a role in the show. My trip to Buffalo to help take the house down had two purposes, to make Buffalo Reuse look good and the industry as a whole look like a viable option and we accomplished both on this show.
Read the rest of this entry »

A big thanks to Shea’s Buffalo for being the venue, Join us, JANUARY 24th, 2010!
You were there when the Hero Family was announced, You were there when Buffalo ReUse performed the Green Demolition, You were there when volunteers from PUSH and Re-Tree WNY built the community gardens, You were there when Americorps and others descended on the block and over 70 houses in the neighborhood got a facelift, You were there when David Homes built the brand new house!…Now you can be there as all of Buffalo celebrates the national spotlight! On behalf of PUSH Buffalo, Buffalo ReUse, Re-Tree WNY, and WNY Americorps, as well as The Powell Family–we hope you will join us all.

Doors open at 7pm Folks can meet The Powell Family, mingle, and learn about the ways they can volunteer and contribute to future neighborhood improvements. Channel 7 (WKBW) will feature a documentary of behind-the-scenes footage of the 106 hours of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition while the cast, volunteers, and neighborhood worked around the clock. Finally, from 8-10pm ABC will broadcast the Special Buffalo Episode and we’ll all watch together as the story unfolds.

We hope that everyone will come and celebrate the national spotlight on Buffalo and the neighborhood revitalization igniting across The Queen City!

TICKETS:  Tickets will be available on Friday, January 15th. All tickets will be distributed in advance of the evening’s events.  Tickets to be obtained from Shea’s Box Office. Tickets are complimentary, limit of 2 per person. No tickets at the door, unless they are still available.

The Shea’s Box Office is located at 650 Main Street and is open  M-F 10 a – 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 am– 2 pm   Event Parking is available on Pearl Street, Washington St. etc.

**This event is on FACEBOOK. Please, invite all your friends!!

Do you have a box of inch-long remnants of copper pipe from that kitchen remodel back in 1970? How about a couple of bent and burnt aluminum pots that just couldn’t cook one more can of cream of mushroom soup? Or how about one of my favorites; an old tire rim cut and bent into the shape of a flower? I believe the artists intentions were good but I always thought they looked like Audrey II or a body snatcher pod (If you don’t understand these references Google “little shop of Horrors” and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and then see the original versions). If your basement is choked with stuff like this but your conscience tells you metal is easily recycled but you know it will cost you more in gas than the money you’d make at the scrap yard. Here is a solution that is good for your basement, the earth, and your conscience; consider donating you scrap metal to Buffalo ReUse to support:

• Employment and training for young people
• Commerce in the City of Buffalo
• Preservation of Buffalo’s heritage of materials and craftsmanship
• Diverting “waste” from dead-ending in landfills?

Seriously though, those few old bits of metal might not seem significant, however scrap metal is very useful for us as it provides a very quick and direct way to help fund our day to day operations. At about 75 cents per pound for ferrous metals (irons and steels) and about 3 dollars per pound for cuprous metals (copper, brass, bronze) it isn’t worth the average person gas and driving to recycle a few old coat hangers or faucet knobs. However at the Buffalo ReUse these small amounts of metal accumulate from many different sources and add up quickly. A truck load of metal might pay for a few days worth of diesel, or pay to repair an (all too common) engine problem, buy boxes of gloves, puncture protectors and goggles for the crew, etc…

Environmentally recycled metal is an excellent way to be greener. A piece of metal thrown away is a piece of metal that has to be replaced with new metal. The amount of energy needed to recycle metal into useful products is estimated to be nearly 1/3 of the energy to obtain it from raw materials. Metals also often require that tons of rock be mined to produce pounds of metal. The environmental costs of mining are very high, leaving enormous scars on the earth and badly poisoned waters and lands.

Of course, if you bring in interesting or useful metal items that can be  re-sold we would not scrap them.  Useful items can be re-sold in the store (Environmentally even better than metal recycling) or used to run our operations. And just like item donations, we will provide you with a tax donation form. We ask that you not bring refrigerators, propane cylinders, gas cans, entire cars or trucks, items that are less than 50% metal, or contain mercury (switches and controls). For very large loads we can pick it up with our truck by appointment. Items should be readily accessible at ground level. In any case call ahead to discuss your specific situation and see if we can use your metal.

So  if you have a set of porch railings that were bent into a pretzel when junior backed into it 1978 while learning to drive, consider the Buffalo ReUse before you put it at the curb. It will help our cause immensely.

Seen on my way from the West Side to the East Side.

Not our truck, but I’m very impressed with the load. Not the quality of product, which is marginal scrap, but the tie-downs.

You may already know that Buffalo ReUse has enjoyed working with Americorps WNY’s ABLE Program and Americorps Recovery for this last year.  We already miss Matt & Micki.  We know that Rachel and Ben will be leaving later in 2010.  Much of what our Community Programs have accomplished would not be possible without their hard work.  Buffalo ReUse is looking for 2 more VERY MOTIVATED folks with a heart for the community. We’re now accepting packets for a ReSource Educator and a Green Space Coordinator under Americorps WNY’s Service Corp Program. This means you get paid by Americorps (which is like the Peace Corps except you stay local) via a stipend for one year; there is also an award to pay down your student loans once you complete your service.

Both positions are full-time and hard work.  Both positions focus on rebuilding sustainable neighborhoods and both report to the Director of Community Programs.  Together, they represent a renewed commitment to providing information and access to resources and an improved quality of life for our neighbors.
Share this opportunity with folks you’d highly recommend.  We need to fill these positions quickly as the start date is January.   To read the full job descriptions please click on their respective link.

The ReSource Educator– a Jack/Jane of all trades with a knack for teaching

Green Space Coordinator– an urban farmer with a knack for teaching

Incomplete applications will not be considered. To all applicants, please make sure your packet details your experience in the field and that each file of your packet contains your last name.  Impressive packets will receive follow up questions and a phone interview; top candidates must also have a second interview on-site and must complete an Americorps Orientation session.

Friday morning, November 13, 2009 Buffalo ReUse will be begin Green Demolition and salvage of another west side property at 369 Normal Ave.  The house is already slated for demolition.  “It made sense to go ahead and continue with further improvements to the street since the rest of the block is getting a facelift.  The neighborhood is getting a real morale boost,” said Michael Gainer, Founder and Director of Programs, at Buffalo ReUse.  “All of Buffalo should be proud that there will be such a huge spotlight on the City, the grassroots efforts and the generosity that has resulted from this opportunity.

Materials harvested from the demolition, such as roof joists, rafters, wall studs, interior trim, bricks and foundation stone, will be sold to the general public at low cost from Buffalo ReUse’s ReSource retail store at 298 Northampton Street in Buffalo and used to fund ReUse’s job creation and community revitalization programs.

Eric Walker, Lead Organizer for People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH), said “PUSH is taking a block by block approach, working in the community to stabilize this neighborhood. Jimmy Strach, who lives next door, has saved his Victorian home from the wrecking ball. When a guy makes a huge personal investment and saves a house from demo, we need to draw a line, take a stand and back him up on it. We also need to help community residents reclaim vacant spaces in ways that enhance and improve their quality of life. Green demolition of this house is a win-win for the neighborhood and for Buffalo.”

Buffalo ReUse sees green demolition as another way to reduce housing costs by using reclaimed lumber and other building materials from Buffalo’s large surplus of vacant houses, rather than crunch it up and throw it away at great expense.  By employing state-of-the-art green demolition techniques, Buffalo ReUse can harvest lumber efficiently and sell it to the public at costs averaging half of new material.

David Stapleton of David Homes and his team of builders welcomed the opportunity to build a new energy efficient house for the Powell family of 228 Massachusetts Ave on Buffalo’s West Side; however, there was one major obstacle in the way–the 2.5 story woodframe house the family had been living in for 4 years.  Buffalo ReUse got the call when the Project Manager was looking for a local contractor that could help them achieve an LEED Emerald Award for material reclamation, recycling and landfill diversion.  Buffalo ReUse is WNY’s first and only nonprofit Green Demolition and Salvage Crew.  They have been developing green demolition in Buffalo for over 2 years now.  Buffalo ReUse consulted with deconstruction guru, David Bennink.

David Bennink, of RE-USE Consulting, has been perfecting hybrid deconstruction for over 15 years and he has managed hundreds of green demolition projects across the country.  The biggest challenge of taking down the house was the time deadline.  “… but once I walked the building, I knew that Buffalo Reuse and I could pull off this project and my focus turned to doing it safely and finding the best way to represent the building deconstruction industry in this national spotlight.  It is likely that the building weighed about 80-100 tons not including the foundation or porch stone, or 150-175 tons with it, and of that we diverted an estimated 75% including a large volume of foundation stone hauled offsite for processing and reuse. ”

Buffalo ReUse’s rapid green demolition of the Powell’s old house was a demonstration of the practicality and economic feasibility of the technique–the house was deconstructed in under 17 hours! Our hope is that green demolition will soon be the mainstream method of demolition and the first choice for builders and municipalities in need of demolition.  Beyond reducing building costs, Buffalo’s “problem” of vacant houses can be turned into an opportunity to create jobs, train young people, fund community improvement programs and offer low-cost building materials to the public.

Volunteers from the public and Americorps WNY were directed on-site by ReUse staff and shown how to pull up flooring, prep wall panels and cut the joists in the attic so that the house could be taken apart efficiently and safely.  Hundreds of volunteers swarmed the house and salvaged interior finishes like window and door trim, baseboards, the stairwell and even piled 6 pallets of brick and 4 pallets of sandstone and limestone.  The Show chose select pieces from within the house to incorporate into its new furnishings and honor the history of the house and the family’s experiences.  Other house parts were carted off for use in adjacent houses and improvement projects in the neighborhood.
Buffalo ReUse DTech, Carrie Nader, commented, “It was great, if I needed a tool or something, I shouted for it and suddenly it appeared.  So many people were processing panels and loading trucks–all the material just disappeared.”  Amanda Alessandra operated the 10K telescopic forklift all night.  She has been a DTech Crew Leader for more than a year, “It was really a different experience to have an audience cheering for our progress as we separated each panel of the house and dropped it to the ground.”
Board Members of Buffalo ReUse were onhand to get dirty, perform safety checks, assist with cutting up the house, sorting materials, loading the trucks or spur the crowd to cheer on the Deconstruction Crew and Volunteers.
Everyone at Buffalo ReUse is proud to be a part of making a clear path of progress for the Powell family and all of Buffalo’s neighborhoods.

ABC’s hit show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” is coming to the Queen City! This exciting opportunity brings with it the chance to use the momentum gained by the national spotlight to fuel the revitalization of an entire neighborhood in the matter of days. You have the opportunity to improve not only one family’s life, but the entire surrounding community. This will be a great chance to show that Buffalo really is the City of Good Neighbors.

David Homes  is designing and building an environmentally friendly home starting November 7th and lasting for one week. To sign up as a helping hand, go to http://www.davidhomesextreme.com/. They will need help with Food, Non-Skilled Construction Labor, Check-In, Media, Hospitality, Parking, Trash, Traffic, Barricades, Loading and much more. Join the Buffalo ReUse staff in this unique service experience!

Last night, October 19, Buffalo ReUse Board President Vince Kuntz talked to Michael Gainer about taking the position of Program Director for Buffalo ReUse. He accepted the position and we look forward to future.

The responsibilities of the position of Program Director were agreed by the Board and are as follows:

Program Director, Buffalo ReUse:

• Provides monthly deconstruction and salvage report, and program status. This is to include what jobs have been completed, in-progress, signed and prospects. All jobs discussed are to include estimated costs and revenue expected.
• Directs field operations for deconstruction and salvage activities.
• Coordinates subcontracted services such as utility cuts, asbestos surveys, abatements, excavators and other as needed.
• Follows up on job leads, responsible for job estimates and providing estimates for financial review prior to contract execution.
• Directs staff training of deconstruction and salvage activities.
• Coordinate safety and environmental compliance training for staff members.
• Pursue funding opportunities.
• Instrumental in strategic development and implementation of existing and future community programs. Member of the Strategic Community Development Committee.

Michael’s effective hire date is 10/19/09.

Our friend and mentor David Bennink sends us this message:

I have been working for the City of Chicago to develop the Nation’s largest building deconstruction training program and I am happy to say that we will soon choose a recipient and get started.

It will be a complex effort for many reasons, not the least of which is that we cannot work on any residential properties due to restrictions from the funding source.

My hope for the program is that for the next 2.5 years, we will infuse a lot of salvaged building materials, capital, and ‘free’ labor into operations around the Chicago area thus strengthening the reuse industry. We also hope to provide the area many qualified individuals that have gone through the training program and are ‘job-ready’.

On other fronts, RE-USE Consulting has taken down all of its last 17 homes in 5 days or less while mainly working with trainees. We experimented with a 1 day home where a 1250 sq ft building was partially deconstructed and the remaining parts demolished. We added our 34th State and are only a couple structures away from deconstructing our 500th building.

In general, it is good to see programs like that in Chicago help build up our industry. Have hope and know that we are closing in on making deconstruction time and cost competitive with demolition and look forward to the day when deconstruction is the mainstream choice for building removal.