NERC in the News
Eco One Solutions Partners with Habitat for Humanity
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PR-USA.NET; March 24, 2009
Eco One Solutions (E1S), an innovative, Natick, Massachusetts-headquartered company that specializes in reuse and recycling, has entered into a formal partnership with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Through this arrangement, E1S will provide the store with donations of furniture and other property. The Bridgeport ReStore will then distribute this property to needy businesses and families in the area. The goal is to similarly engage other ReStores in the New England-New York area and, eventually, around the country.
By so doing, Eco One Solutions and Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org) will not only be helping people in need but making a positive impact on the environment.
"About 90 percent of surplus furniture is dumped into a landfill," explains John Gundling, president of Eco One Solutions, a subsidiary of Integrated Green Building Solutions (www.integratedgreen.com). "The material has to be transported and processed, and that uses a significant amount of energy. By reusing the property, we are saving energy and reducing harmful emissions. Not only that, but we are donating it to people who can really use some help."
As part of recent laboratory renovation projects in New Haven, E1S redistributed 59 tons of furniture, which saved 455 barrels of oil, enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 745 tons. That is equivalent to taking 38 cars off the road for one year (source for calculations: Northeast Recycling Council).
Through its work in Construction Waste Management Recycling, Eco One Solutions has access to surplus furniture and property. This property is typically part of a renovation project or a client request to downsize or replace furniture. E1S's Surplus Reuse Program typically costs 25–30 percent less than simple disposal, making it a popular and cost-effective option for these types of projects.
"Teaming up with Eco One Solutions is a great situation for us," says T.J. Jenney, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity's Coastal Fairfield County branch. "We're able to get high-quality donations and distribute them to people in need. Plus, we're helping to green up the area."
— Integrated Green
About Eco One Solutions
Eco One Solutions provides consulting for waste management and surplus materials projects with a focus on reducing environmental impacts. E1S has developed a strong network of charitable organizations, facilitating the distribution of surplus materials and avoiding disposal into landfills. E1S's waste management projects typically achieve recycling rates of 95 percent or more, far surpassing LEED Gold requirements.
About Habitat for Humanity
Based in Americus, Ga., Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that provides housing and other support for needy individuals throughout the United States. Habitat for Humanity operates ReStores in 48 states, donating furniture and other property to those in need. There are eight ReStores in New England and nine in New York.
