Recycling Existing Materials

After my initial blog post about the waste generated from new construction and other building materials, I began researching companies and organizations, specifically in the Portland area that are actively reusing building materials. One organization that stood out, and a place I know from personal experience, is The Rebuild Center.  Their website states that the “ReBuilding Center is a climate justice nonprofit organization. We make reuse and repair affordable for all, reduce waste and wasteful consumption, and make the best use of our planet’s limited material resources.” I think working with an organization like this could be a great tool in sourcing used materials for shelters.

Another project that takes the idea of reusing materials is a project proposal done by students at PSU, where “students are working to turn retired light rail cars into places for people experiencing homelessness to rest, heal and recover.” The project is a part of The Afro Village Movement in which, “the movement focuses on addressing the needs of our most vulnerable population — unhoused individuals — with a focus on racial disparities and inequalities.” The image to the right is a proposal for the train cars and how they could be repurposed.

More about the project and organization here: When DESIGN meets ACTIVISM https://youtu.be/cfKE-Vk-ArE

It's encouraging to see that Portland has existing and ongoing projects that simultaneously take into account both houselessness needs and environmental needs.

-Sara (they/she)