Limited Edition Community Forklift Tee Shirts

THE PROBLEM Construction Waste is a BIG Problem! Americans love to redesign their homes—we often change out materials like cabinets, appliances, and bathroom fixtures for the newest color, shape and technology. To keep up with demand, suppliers clear out leftovers and overstock, throwing away brand-new items. To make way for new construction, developers demolish old buildings, destroying old-growth lumber and antique fixtures.

As a result,building materials make up almost40% of our nation’s solid waste stream! Then, we buy brand new materials. To produce these new building supplies we must harvest, drill, mine, and transport natural resources across continents, causing serious environmental damage. Manufacturing the items and transporting them to stores uses even more fossil fuel, releasing carbon into the atmosphere.

THE SOLUTION We’re turning the waste stream into a resource stream! Community Forklift is breaking this destructive cycle by finding new lives for old materials. Since 2005, wehave: Recovered $12 millionof building materials in the DC metro region, keeping tons of materials from going to landfills or being burned in incinerators. Provided materials for 20,000 homeowners, small businesses, non-profits, artisans, and historic restoration projects. Awarded over $55,000 in free supplies to low-income families and community groups. Partnered with over 100 community organizations, housing non-profits, schools, gardens, theatres, Eagle Scout projects, faith-based groups, and volunteers that fix up homes for the elderly. Helped to draw green businesses to the area, much like an anchor store draws shops to a mall. These businesses includeappliance repair experts, an antique lighting restoration specialist, a woodworker who mills trees felled by storms, and crafters who upcycled furniture from scraps.

Community Forklift has created a lot of green jobs and economic activity. Our operation has grown to45 employees. Local tradespeople get more work because inexpensive materials mean lower bids. Building and supply companies benefit bydonating, because they reduce disposal costs and earn tax deductions. Landlords and small businesses can afford to fix up their properties, increasing property values and making neighborhoods cleaner and safer. Local public-works departments receive less trash, saving tax dollars and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Part of our inventory comes from deconstruction, in which a building is carefully taken apart by skilled laborers instead of demolished.Deconstruction employs more people than simple demolition – and the higher labor costs is offset by the tax-deduction benefits and lower dumping costs.

Building-material reuse is a solution that just makes sense. Everyone benefits from less waste, a stronger economy, and a cleaner environment!