Marketing Plan

COST-EFFECTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
NORTHEAST MATERIALS EXCHANGES

PREPARED BY:
CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
BRYANT UNIVERSITY

GAYTHA A. LANGLOIS, PH.D.
BRENDAN SWEENY
MARYANNE MAZZOTTA

MATERIALS EXCHANGES MARKETING PLAN

COST-EFFECTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING UTILIZATION

MATERIALS EXCHANGES MARKETING PLAN

COST-EFFECTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING UTILIZATION

NEW ENGLAND & NEW YORK MATERIALS EXCHANGES

Established in 1987, the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC) is a 501(c)(3) organization. NERC’s new mission is to advance an environmentally sustainable economy by promoting source and toxicity reduction, recycling, and the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services. NERC's voting membership includes officials from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. NERC's advisory membership includes private businesses, municipal governments, utilities, state recycling organizations, and non-profit organizations.

HISTORY OF THE EXCHANGES

To address the growing need for diverting materials from landfills, state governments throughout the Northeast have assisted in the development of Materials Exchanges as a strategy for diverting reusable materials from entering the waste stream. Materials Exchanges broker information and help those that have unwanted materials connect with other businesses, governments, or non-profit organizations looking for the same type of material. Exchanges maintain listings of "materials available" and "materials wanted" that they publicize on the Internet, or by means of catalogues or newsletters. Material Exchanges focus on materials as viable commodities, and exist in cooperation with other facets of materials management in the public and private sectors.

Recycling and reuse programs are broadly accepted in the United States, and are credited with reducing reliance on landfills, incinerators, and waste-to-energy facilities. Additionally, by reducing the need for consuming virgin materials, these programs result in conservation of energy and material resources, which in turn help to reduce use of fossil fuels for manufacturing and transportation, global warming, acid deposition, and toxic wastes associated with manufacturing. By diverting materials from waste processing facilities, recycling and reuse programs also help to prevent water and air pollution associated with landfills and incinerators. For a more detailed discussion of these issues, refer to the NERC website for Vermont ( http://www.nerc.org/fsheets/vt-factsht.html) or the Citizen's Plan for Zero Waste in New York City (http://www.consumersunion.org/other/zero-waste/reuse.html ).

Although the economics of recycling and reuse are somewhat complex, and cost/benefit analyses of waste diversion somewhat difficult to assess, attempts are being made to untangle some of these complexities. Simply comparing costs of collection and processing for recyclables against collection and disposal for waste does not give a complete picture (Hadley, 1997), since long-term costs for managing the waste management infrastructure are usually not included. In 2004, NERC developed a tool for assessing the specific environmental benefits attributable to source reduction, reuse, and recycling, and a downloadable version of this tool is available at http://www.nerc.org/documents/Blank_NERC_EB_Calculator.xls and instructions for use can be found at http://www.nerc.org.documents/aboutcalc.html .

According to the 2001 National Recycling Coalition Report, "U.S. Recycling Economic Information Study, "The reuse industry is widespread and ranges from more traditional establishments such as local thrift stores and antique shops to more recent, dynamic operations such as computer demanufacturers, pallet rebuilders, and materials exchanges. As a whole, the U.S. reuse industry employs nearly 170,000 workers in more than 26,000 establishments nationwide. This reuse industry also supports an annual payroll of $2.7 billion and generates revenues of approximately $14.1 billion." (Beck, 2001). Table I summarizes these numbers.

Table I. Analysis of Economic Activity for the Reuse Industry

Source: National Recycling Coalition Report, Executive Summary, p. ES-2 (Beck, 2001)

• Goal: To link owners of usable items with potential users of these items
• Goal: To divert usable materials from landfills and other waste processing facilities
• Goal: To change mindsets about "materials management" and "wastes"
• Goal: To raise the waste prevention and reuse awareness of the general public
• Goal: To track the volume of diverted materials, and thus assess the efficacy of the Materials Exchanges
• Goal: To position the Materials Exchanges to move toward self-sufficiency in the longer term
• Goal: To develop more "sustainable" waste management systems

OVERVIEW OF NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK MATERIALS EXCHANGES

In the Northeast, Materials Exchanges began to appear in 1993, and are characterized by strong cooperation and mutual support. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency New England Regional Office has actively sponsored networking opportunities for the Exchange managers to meet and share information, ideas, and opportunities. This spirit of collaboration, instead of competition, has enabled these programs to grow quickly by learning from the successes and mistakes of their counterparts. Countrywide, a 1999 survey of 165 Materials Exchanges (16% response rate) indicated that the average Exchange services 11,167 individuals and organizations each year, with an average of 230 transactions per month, and accounts for the recycling of nearly 82,500 tons of materials and products a year. About half of the respondents report a free service, some require memberships, and some charge transaction fees or registration/listing fees. Post-consumer products most often exchanged for reuse include office equipment, building materials, appliances, electronics and art supplies, along with paint, domestic furnishings, antiques, and house wares. (Study conducted by the National Recycling Coalition, the Reuse Development Organization, and Princeton University's Center for Energy and Environment Studies, in June 1999; summarized by Christine Beling, an environmental engineer in the USEPA Region I, in an article in Resource Recycling Magazine, November 2000).

The New England and New York Materials Exchanges differ in many ways, including size, scope, focus, funding, management, location, and history. Fact sheets on each of the New England and New York Exchanges and a detailed comparison of the Exchanges is located in Appendix I and II of this report. However, many common features also characterize the Exchanges. Most of them have an online component, and the Web addresses are listed in Appendix II. Most of the state-sponsored Exchanges are broad-based, including a variety of material categories. Many of the non-governmental organization (NGO) sponsored Exchanges feature a limited variety of products, and are aimed at a targeted audience (e.g. school supplies, arts materials, electronics, etc.). The level of management and oversight varies widely, from self-sufficient, somewhat passive Exchanges where users exchange email contacts, to staffed programs that actively attempt to match users with products to users needing the products.

Procedures utilized by the Exchanges also vary widely, for example, some Exchanges require that all materials offered on the site must be available at no cost to the next user, at least for the initial interaction. Others allow for agreed upon payments to be arranged. Some Exchanges warehouse an inventory, and act as a "middle-man" for the products, but most of them simply try to match the product to the users. Some of the Exchanges maintain a separate website for homeowners and individual users to exchange, and in other cases the Exchanges commingle all users. Exchanges can be categorized as "passive" (publicize listings but are not usually actively involved with exchange details), "active" (act as brokers between the exchanging parties, often charging a fee for services), or "warehouse" (actually taking possession of materials at some point of the transaction). Passive Exchanges are easier to manage, but have little tracking capabilities; active Exchanges necessitate more staff and funding, but can act as catalysts in the exchange process; and warehousing Exchanges have the capability to enhance the effectiveness of Exchange networks, but add considerably to operational costs. As noted in a Rutgers University report on Materials Exchanges, transaction costs (expenditures of resources, time, and effort to complete transactions) often hinder the development of viable markets in recycling and reuse (Andrews, 2000).

Funding for staffing, web-hosting, site-design, and other costs also varies from one Exchange to another; some have almost no funding, beyond the initial startup costs; others have an ongoing source of support (i.e., state agencies, a fee-based system, or in some cases time-limited grant support).

Still, a common challenge facing almost all the Exchanges is how to attract more users, how to make businesses and nonprofits aware of their existence, and how to make their services better known. Thus, in this report, we have attempted to proffer some cost-effective ideas for better marketing the Exchanges. It is understood that given the diversity of the Exchanges, different techniques may be differentially applicable in one case or another.

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DEVELOPING A MARKETING STRATEGY

MARKETING RESEARCH APPROACH

In business settings, it is customary in marketing research to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the business, then to identify the potential opportunities in the marketplace, and finally to note any threats facing the expansion of the business (the SWOT analysis). In the context of this report, the analysis sequence has been modified. We have already described the inherent benefits associated with the Materials Exchanges. The report will go on to explore some of the liabilities associated with the Materials Exchanges, and identify some of the competitors. Then the barriers to expansion will be examined, and the bulk of the report will address the opportunities. Another clarification should be made between Market Research and Marketing Research (i.e., both terms widely used in the business literature). Market Research usually focuses on "looking at a particular market" (its size, structure, product substitutes, barriers to entry, and the allocation of market segments among competitors). Conversely, Marketing Research, "covers broader concepts and refers to an ongoing and systematic collection, interpretation, and reporting of data-data that is used by marketers to deal with specific problems, evaluate the success or failure of a project, or to discover and take advantage of new opportunities" (Nonprofits.org, 2005). This Marketing Plan Report falls into the second category of "Marketing Research" and is intended to provide options, ideas and viewpoints, and to prompt further discussion and action by NERC and the Material Exchanges.

LIMITATIONS AND PROBLEMS

As described earlier in the Overview section, Materials Exchanges are often thwarted by limited budgets and staffing, unclear directives about their mission and responsibilities, overlapping territories between Exchanges, and competing goals within the same State system for waste management (e.g., oversized waste-to-energy facilities that need fuel might prefer to burn wood products as opposed to redistributing furniture items). Another challenge facing Exchanges that maintain an inventory is to find reasonably priced warehouse space. Furthermore, inadequate budgets and staffing may preclude the expansion of a Materials Exchange's reach because there is no mechanism for marketing the advantages and potentialities of the Exchange. It is possible that an Exchange needs to reach a "critical size" in order to stimulate the kind of trading activity that will assure viability and sustainability. There is probably also an upper limit or optimal size that remains manageable within each given Exchange model. More research is needed to assess the economic and organizational implications of the various models exhibited by existing Exchanges. Lastly, other competing pathways for reusable materials may inhibit operation and growth potential for the Exchanges.

Some of the possible competitors with Materials Exchanges might include the following: online trading systems (e.g., E-Bay or Craig's List, Yahoo Auctions, FreeCycle, or Amazon.com), thrift shops, flea markets, pawn shops, and professional recycling companies. These retail operations are more likely to be utilized by individuals, as most companies are not likely to allocate the time needed to list and track the available items.

Professional recycling companies are probably the most significant competitor for items of value, such as computers and other electronics. The ease of dealing with these companies (appraisals, pickup, transport, paperwork, etc.) makes them a very attractive option for a business manager or facility director. Possibly the Materials Exchanges could partner with some of these professional recyclers as a "last step" in the sequence of distribution by the recycling companies, so that they can avoid accumulating massive inventories of low-value items that could possibly be donated to potential users. The compelling question is one of the "value" of a used electronics item; if the item or its parts can be sold (having resale value), then the recycling company would want to resell it; whereas, if the item has low resale value, then the recycling company will probably go for the value of crucial components, such as precious metals. The disassembly process may result in the bulk of the item being discarded as "waste". Common practice in using a recycling firm is for the company owning the items, e.g., computers, to pay for a pickup service. Thus, if the intact computer or other electronic item is seen as "usable" by a different user, then these companies might well be willing to list such items on a Materials Exchange, rather than pay for the pickup and disassembly. Other partners with Materials Exchanges might include the computer manufacturers, who would be willing to contract with or to advertise the Exchanges as a means of enabling a "greener" system for discarded items.

In addition, private sector reuse and surplus businesses might be seen as a competing interest with Materials Exchanges. However, the existence of these firms might obviate the requirement for an Exchange to maintain warehouse space. By having these companies as members of an Exchange, and/or having these firms provide access to new customers, the Exchanges can improve their success and expand their sphere of influence. For example, a set of old wooden tables and chairs in a deteriorated condition may not be attractive enough to sell at a second hand shop. However, if refinished, the set may have greater retail potential and command a much better price. If such items were listed on a Materials Exchange, buyers might include a furniture refinishing business. This approach could foster the development of additional small business operations in a regional economic system, and might be aligned well with city or state economic development plans.

BARRIERS TO EXPANSION OF MATERIALS EXCHANGES

Some of the challenges to effective marketing of the Exchanges would include the following: lack of funding for traditional advertising approaches, identifying and prioritizing appropriate target audiences, coping with the irregular availability of the materials to be exchanged when designing an effective marketing approach, and being able to effectively track the success of different marketing techniques.

To begin with, the throw-away mindset so prevalent in the United States is very hard to change. A business manager, overwhelmed with day-to-day operations, is not likely to spend much time trying to find a user for their discarded equipment or furniture. Often such decisions are made by facilities staff charged with removing the items from their present location. Many companies do not even have a policy for the disposal of such items; rather they are simply considered to be "waste" and will be discarded with the normal waste stream, as long as they are not considered to be toxic or to require any special treatment. Who holds the responsibility to retrain these decision makers to think in terms of managing all "materials" that pass through the business as having value as usable objects, until they no longer function, cannot be repaired, or another user cannot be found? So part of the challenge to Materials Exchanges is to develop an education process that would change these mindsets.

Secondly, the lack of information about the existence of the Materials Exchanges also precludes business managers from utilizing them more extensively. Thus, even if the manager may desire to practice good waste management practices, the level of awareness about the existence and value of Materials Exchanges may be nonexistent. This is probably the biggest, but most important, challenge to be met by the Materials Exchanges if the programs are to grow and prosper.

Lastly, in many cases, tipping fees at landfills are held artificially low by state or municipal authorities. Thus, there may be little incentive to think twice about discarding materials, especially if it will take staff time to track down a potential user of a recyclable or reusable item. Even though the long-term consequences of filling up landfills, increasing pollution, and overusing raw materials may be compelling, the typical business manager is usually focused on short-term decisions and objectives. Since there is almost no likelihood of challenging subsidies created by political leaders, the challenge to the Materials Exchanges is to inform business leaders about the long-term implications and the available resource for better meeting their corporate responsibilities to foster a sustainable society.

On the non-profit side, even though no-cost or low-cost, reusable products may be desirable, the challenges of trying to track down these items using very limited staff resources may be formidable. Hence, if there is no knowledge about the existence of online Materials Exchanges, the chances are great that the agency or organization will "get along without" the needed item. However, it will probably be easier to market the Exchanges to the nonprofits than to the business sector, because users in need of free or low-cost products are likely to have greater motivation. Also, non-profits tend to communicate frequently with one another and to depend heavily on the "word of mouth" method of sharing information.

Municipal policies that might affect the Materials Exchanges could include any of the following: procurement protocols for schools and community centers (e.g., whether used equipment can be purchased); setting of tipping fees at landfills; and recycling programs within the municipality (e.g., pickup programs, what materials are actually required or allowed to be recycled). Municipalities may need to change their "recycling" policies so as to encourage more "reuse." For example, wood furniture and functioning appliances should perhaps have a priority as a "reuse" item, rather than as a "recyclable" item. This shift in emphasis could take place either at the source end of the spectrum (i.e., the generator), or at the receiving end (i.e., the Materials Recycling Facility, where reusable items can be diverted.

TARGET AUDIENCES FOR MATERIALS EXCHANGES

Clearly, any marketing plan for the Materials Exchanges will need to feature targeted entities, with adjustments made for each of these targeted audiences. The targets might include some or all of the following: non-profit organizations (NGO's), community agencies, educational institutions, municipalities, state government offices, and businesses by sector. Residential customers may also be targeted, depending on the design and scope of the Materials Exchange.

Non-profit organizations vary widely (serving almost every segment of the population, providing almost every conceivable type of service to people of all ages, and ranging from very small to very large). Hence, there is no simple design to reach all of them in a consistent manner. Rather, the best way to capture this audience probably lies in raising awareness about the Materials Exchanges through umbrella organizations (for example, the Environment Council in Rhode Island is an overarching group whose members comprise dozens of small to large environmental organizations). Other examples of environmental coalitions are noted in Table II.

Table II: Environmental Coalitions in the Northeast States

There are many such coordinating coalitions serving other realms, such as the human services, the arts, education, historic preservation activities, civic responsibility, and health support groups. One such example might be the League of Women Voters, with both national and local presence. The League regularly takes on special projects focused on improving public infrastructure and environmental quality. By linking up with these coordinating groups, the Materials Exchanges can more quickly connect with a huge variety of NGO's.

Community agencies are often designed as partnerships between federal, state and local agencies, providing programs tailored to meet a local community need. Such agencies are usually woefully under-funded and would be ideal targets for reusable construction and building materials, since they are often charged with maintaining public housing, or coordinating with low-income homeowners. In general, these agencies represent good customers for receiving a variety of reusable materials. Fortunately, since many of these programs are funded with federal monies, they are reasonably easy to track down through public databases (see Table III for examples).

Table III: Examples of Community Service Agency Information

Educational institutions represent a significant potential for utilization of the Materials Exchanges. This category is comprised of colleges, universities, trade schools, professional training programs, public and private schools, and education departments at every level. These institutions and agencies represent sources of reusable items, and are potential customers for reusable items. Some of the region's Exchanges focus exclusively on educators, but most of the Exchanges have not yet fully explored the many potential partnerships with educational institutions. For example, most universities have very rapid turnover of computers and accessories, with some in-house recycling protocols, but commonly end up disposing of unwanted computers via professional recyclers. Educational institutions should be one of the prime targets for the Exchanges. In many of Northeast states, there are statewide databases listing personnel in the public sector. For example, it may be possible to access the names and contact information for municipal-level school purchasing agents through the State Department of Education, or via a Website for the municipality. For this sector, purchases of used science equipment and furniture are more likely to be a policy option (as indicated by an assortment of online sources for science equipment-see Table IV), than would purchases of used computers, because computers are turned over so much more rapidly. However, there may be an undeveloped market for computers that are 3-5 years old, since many universities turn over their computer stock every 2-3 years. Some of the Exchanges have extensive experience in working with school systems, and could take the lead in enabling other Exchanges in their efforts to expand their reach into their local educational community.

Table IV: Examples of Online Sources for Used Science Equipment

Municipalities represent a potential market, both as sources of reusable items and/or as new customers for the Exchanges. For example, almost all municipal departments utilize computer equipment in their day-to-day operations, thus would have some kind of policy for discarding of old machines. Likewise, with lean municipal budgets, department managers might look favorably on a source for slightly used computers being generated by a business entity. Meanwhile, many cities use a centralized purchasing procedure for their component schools. By designing an information packet for municipalities, the Materials Exchanges could forge workable partnerships with local government, and in so doing produce a significant increase in the amount of waste diverted from landfills (and increase their savings through avoided disposal costs).

Similar potentialities may exist for targeting state and federal agencies, both in terms of operations (e.g., office equipment, computers and accessories, maintenance and facilities management, and possibly in certain aspects of transportation). For example, because government agencies set up contracts for large fleets of vehicles, policies that favored the reuse of vehicles in situations where accumulated mileage would not be a significant drawback might enable small, low-mileage vehicles of 3-4 years old to be used, rather than purchasing new vehicles. As a case in point, recently General Motors, Ford, and Toyota revealed that they are destroying electric vehicles because the lines of production are being discontinued (see Websites below for details):

http://www.dontcrush.com/press.shtml

http://www.jumpstartford.com/news/newsitem.php?id
=1327&area=ford

http://www.megawattmotorworks.com/display.asp?
dismode=article&artid=155

Why weren't these vehicles transferred to non-profits, government agencies, or low income buyers, rather than being discarded? In addition, by working with appropriate state agencies (e.g. environmental agencies), better policies at the federal, state, and local levels of government could be worked out for encouraging reuse and source reduction.

A major target market is the business sector, at least for most of the Exchanges. While in some cases, businesses primarily represent the generator side of the exchange formula, business to business transfers are also important. Most manufacturing businesses generate products or byproducts that for a variety of reasons may not be able to be sold through their distribution networks (e.g., slightly damaged items, a discontinued design, overproduction, etc.). These items might not be discarded as wastes if the Materials Exchanges were available as an option (for examples, see the Success Stories in Appendix V). Furthermore, all businesses have furniture and equipment that is periodically changed. Contacts with facility managers, maintenance staff, and inventory supervisors might be fruitful in developing a wider customer base for the Exchanges. In addition to manufacturers, firms in the construction, junk removal, home repair, and retail industries should be targeted. Other businesses of interest might include second-hand shops, computer installers, and used auto dealers. A more detailed discussion of strategies for targeting businesses will follow in a later section of this report.

Although this report is not directly focused on residential and individual customers, since most of the Exchanges are targeting businesses and non-profits, these users do represent a huge potential market in terms of appliance and furniture reuse. For the Exchanges that reach out to the individual customer, the marketing challenges lie more in the realm of "branding" the service in a way that the customer remembers the name when they are looking for the service. For example, the name "FreeMarket" utilized by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is quite memorable, but probably needs to be more widely known. In this case, the Exchange could possibly partner with RI municipal waste service providers to distribute a brochure or some other marketing materials to their residential customers.

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LOW/NO COST MARKETING STRATEGIES F
OR MATERIALS EXCHANGES

Several principles underlie low cost, but effective marketing strategies: (a) the strategy should match the intended target market(s); (b) there should be a focus on partnership opportunities; (c) electronic techniques should be utilized; and (d) information packets should be designed for distribution to businesses and nonprofits. The concept of "sustainable marketing" aligns well with the goals of most online Materials Exchanges. Marketing costs for using traditional marketing techniques to launch a new online Materials Exchange can be very expensive. Although grants or gifts may be available to fund specific projects, for the most part, funding is scarce and guerilla marketing techniques are much more likely to be selected.

The concept of "guerilla marketing" represents the idea of using out of the ordinary methods of marketing to get maximum results with the minimum investment of resources (see the following for more information): http://www.gmarketing.com or http://www.clickz.com/experts/archives/mkt/start_
up_mkt/article.php/825181

Some of those methods involve direct contact, distribution of brochures in a variety of ways, newsletters set up by the Exchanges, links from other websites, news releases to radio, newspapers, or trade journals, partnering with academic communities, professional organizations or allied industries, working with government agencies, schools and libraries, and seeking sponsors for special events. By taking a joint (regional) approach toward marketing, through the auspices of NERC, the Exchanges will benefit greatly. Templates and models that are developed can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each Exchange.

For example, direct contact would probably work best for educational institutions, municipalities, community agencies, and school systems, as well as for federal and state agencies targeted as potential partners. Yet, given that this type of activity is labor-intensive and time-consuming, this approach might be best linked with college student internships or community volunteers. Essentially, every university and college in New England and New York has an array of internship programs, and usually there is enthusiastic support for any agency or organizations that requests these interns. Internships may necessitate a modest stipend for the work done, or may be available free of charge because the student is conducting the work as part of an academic program or specific course. For more details on setting up internship arrangements, see Appendix VII of this report.

By developing an information packet that explains the workings of each Exchange, provides a summary of the benefits and avoided costs associated with using the Materials Exchanges, and includes some statistics on the effectiveness of the waste diversion activities, the Exchange representative can quickly contact key officials in these sectors to initiate a partnering activity. However, direct contact would not be as efficient or effective for contacting individual consumers/users. In that case, it would be better to request distribution of a simple brochure via the existing waste pickup service (either municipal or private), as an inclusion in utility bills, or as a handout accompanying waste disposal stickers at a municipal office.

The Exchanges could jointly develop templates for different types of brochures that would capture the essence of their activities, and then seek sponsors for the printing and distribution costs as a specific project. Using computer publishing tools, brochures can be inexpensively designed and produced. Samples of possible brochures will be included in Appendix III of this report.

Intrinsic to all marketing approaches is the need for memorable "branding" of the product or service in question. As discussed earlier in this document, at this time the term "materials exchange" is not fully embedded in the consciousness of the public, nor in the targeted sectors that have been discussed. Some of the Exchanges have deliberately designed names to be memorable to users (e.g., Rhode Island's "FreeMarket" and "ResourceXchange", PENCIL, Recycle-A-Bicycle, or Build It Green NYC, just to name a few). Whatever name is chosen, the marketing program must link the name with the service, (i.e., branding the service). One approach to feature a brand name for consumers is to distribute widely some item with the name to be emphasized. For example, consider a bright button or bumper sticker with the name "FreeMarketRI.com" that would be widely distributed in Rhode Island. Soon, everyone would be asking, "what is it?" Simultaneously, many of these queries would result in people visiting the Website.

STRATEGIES FOR TARGETING BUSINESS MARKETS

As for the business market, effective techniques would vary depending on the business sector in question. Some initial contacts might include trade associations, trade journals or newsletters, where a brief news release could be used to create awareness of the services and to establish a branding of the logo and/or website (Examples of news releases are included in Appendix IV). Some examples of potential trade organizations are listed in Table V:

Another possible approach is to prepare an information packet aimed at the business user. These packets could be distributed by summer college interns (as described above) to businesses within a specific geographic area, or within a certain business category. Particular targets for the distribution of information packets might be the waste management businesses, particularly recyclers who get most of their profit from picking up discarded equipment, etc., but maybe only have markets for a small portion of the materials they collect, and the construction sector (which accumulates large quantities of wood, paint, and other building materials from construction and deconstruction activities). Owners of second hand shops and junk removal services often have only a small storage capacity, and might welcome information about the Materials Exchanges as a means of keeping their unsold inventory moving rapidly. Probably the manufacturing trades generate the most quantity of potentially reusable materials, and their very diversity and dispersed distribution constitutes a challenge in terms of letting them know about the services provided by a materials exchange. However, residential and corporate apartment communities represent good potential for collaboration (maintenance departments often have leftover material from installation and rehabilitation operations).

Table V: Recycling Non-Profit and Trade Organizations for Possible Collaborations

Partnering possibilities could be explored with the U.S. Small Business Administration (http://www.sba.gov/), and direct arrangements could be set up with Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), located throughout the United States, often on university campuses (http://www.sba.gov/sbdc/). One benefit of linking with the SBDCs is the possible access to their extensive mailing and electronic contact lists. This might be quite an effective way to communicate information about the Exchanges to the business sector. Also, state agencies that are charged with economic development may have mailing lists, or may hold conferences where brochures could be made available to business owners.

Distribution of press releases describing successful materials exchanges, or detailing new website features should include weekly newspapers with a dedicated business focus, such as the Providence Business News in Rhode Island, or the Women's Business News in Boston, thus specifically targeting a diversity of business readers.

The motivation for companies to participate in Materials Exchanges include the following: reduced waste handling costs, savings in purchasing costs, increased storage space that can be used for other purposes, tax deductions and community support for donations to non-profit organizations, saving time and effort by staff in finding new users or arranging for waste disposal, creating new business connections, meeting ISO certification 14001 requirements, aligning with corporate environmental objectives, utilizing an environmentally responsible option, or just "doing the right thing." However, many businesses focus primarily on maximizing their revenue stream, with less emphasis on cost containment strategies. Perhaps the greatest obstacle is a lack of awareness of the opportunities provided by Materials Exchanges, either as a market for discontinued or unwanted equipment or supplies, or as a source of raw materials for manufacturing or assembly. The greatest challenge may be to change mindsets of business managers from "Where do I get virgin materials?" to "Where can I get cost-effective, used materials?" It is difficult to move from the concept of "once-through use" of a given product that automatically becomes a "waste material" at the end of its single use, to the more encompassing view of "materials management" that accounts for the entire life cycle of the raw materials fashioned into manufactured products, including embodied energy consumed in their initial production. Converting these subtleties into practical strategies for operating businesses is equally challenging for Materials Exchanges.

STRATEGIES FOR TARGETING NON-PROFIT MARKETS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS

In the nonprofit sector, as described earlier, coordinating councils or umbrella organizations could be targeted first, with distribution of an appropriate brochure, this time focused more on the NGO's as recipients of needed materials. In particular, environmental organizations would be good partners because many of these organizations have their own newsletters and websites. Most of them would probably be more than willing to feature a link to the website of a Materials Exchange, and to publish descriptive information about the Exchanges, the need for recycling, and statistics about the success of the Exchanges. Additionally, brief news releases provided to these environmental NGOs could be used in their newsletters. This would be particularly valuable for attracting individual consumers who might use the Materials Exchanges.

Additionally, staff from the Materials Exchanges (or their coordinating agencies) could sponsor or conduct workshops for NGOs, teachers, or municipal employees, describing the Exchanges and their benefits. These workshops could be focused on environmentally sound waste management approaches, along with the availability of free or low-cost materials for cash-strapped organizations. For example, in Rhode Island, ResourceXchange officials were recently able to assist a local Fire Department facility to totally outfit their office space with free furniture and equipment donated by business members of the Exchange. By sharing information about such success stories for non-profits, Exchange managers could easily capture the attention of other potential users. These workshops would have the added result of enlisting the participants as new supporters, particularly teachers. Coupled with the workshops could be some kind of activity for children to compete in designing posters or other informational tools. Thus, the training process would be far-reaching. For example, in Rhode Island, successful tools for fostering the goals of recycling have included the "School Recycling Report Card," and the "Rhode Island Recycling Club." Similar programs could be developed to focus on reuse possibilities and online Exchanges.

STRATEGIES FOR TARGETING RESIDENTIAL OR INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER MARKETS

In terms of informing the general public about the existence of the Exchanges, their importance to the community, and the effectiveness of their efforts, press releases could be provided to radio stations (required to provide a minimum of public information announcements), specialized newspapers (e.g., "Business News"), and local newspapers who usually harbor a strong sense of community responsibility. The press releases should be sent out regularly (i.e., monthly), and should be forwarded electronically if possible, saving time, paper, and postage. The game plan is to make it easy for the communication media to help (see Appendix IV for sample Press Releases).

Possible advertising tools might include placing a link onto appropriate commercial websites (depending upon the cost involved). For example, "Craigslist" allows businesses to post an ad or a link under a particular category. Also, key words can be registered into the major search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Altavista, Lycos, Ask Jeeves, etc.), so that if someone typed in the words, "free stuff" the website for an exchange would come up, even if those exact words were not on the website. These key words are called "meta tags" and are incorporated into the coding for the Website. More information about the use of Meta tags for web searching is available at the following web sites:

http://www.monash.com/spidap4.html

http://www.apromotionguide.com/metatag.html

http://vancouver-webpages.com/META/mk-metas.html

The Materials Exchanges could benefit from collaboratively developing a metasearch capability, and this option is currently under discussion among the Exchanges.

Another approach is to take advantage of broad spectrum Websites that include links to allied organizations. For example, active Websites such as Idealist, described as "the online meeting place for non-profit organizations, resources, consultants, job seekers, and volunteers." ( http://www.idealist.org ) and Guidestar, providing provides a free service with information on the programs and finances of more than 650,000 American charities and non-profit organizations ( http://www.guidestar.org ) allow for entries describing your organization or program.

Within every northeastern state, there are many "Earth Day" celebrations, along with other outdoor get-togethers in the spring, summer and fall. These are very good venues for distributing brochures and other educational materials about the Exchanges. An excellent handout would be the pencils made from money and blue jeans (part of the materials distributed by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation). These could be imprinted with the logos of the appropriate Exchange. Business conferences, workshops, and seminars would also be good sites for distributing brochures and fact sheets touting the benefits of the Exchanges, for example, as mentioned earlier, the Small Business Administration Centers regularly sponsor such activities.

Making speeches to civic clubs and professional organizations, and having brochures available, is an excellent way to expand networking capability. Teachers are often looking for special speakers in their classes to describe civic affairs or public service activities, and libraries often sponsor "speaker series" for the general public. In the process of setting up the appointment, there may be an opportunity to meet with administrators to establish other informational links.

MATCHING USERS AND GENERATORS

1. How to reach large numbers of small manufacturers who may or may not be Internet connected, primarily to acquaint them with the possibility of utilizing the Materials Exchanges
2. How to reach potential users (i.e., non-profits or other businesses) to alert them to reach out to the Materials Exchanges as a source of needed items
3. How to fund these outreach activities, which tend to be labor-intensive and to be based on a sense of trust developed through direct personal interactions
4. How to design the ongoing expansion of the online Exchanges in a cost-effective, sustainable manner
5. How to select the best method for organizing listings and enhancing matchmaking

Tackling these challenges will require partnerships with business, government agencies, non-profit organizations and the academic community. Sharing of resources is essential, along with developing communities of interest. For example, professors and graduate students are always on the lookout for worthwhile research projects (environmental management, economics, policymaking, accounting, etc.). For undergraduates, situational internships are sought after to provide real-world experience. Non-profit organizations have equipment and supply needs, with little monetary resources available, yet may be willing to host a workshop, use their newsletter or website to inform the public about the existence of online Materials Exchanges. Likewise, small businesses can thrive more readily with access to free or inexpensive materials available through online Materials Exchanges, in fact, new businesses may be created to specifically utilize an abundant recycled material for new uses.

The choice of which medium to utilize for sharing the listings is rooted in the type of user base, the funds available, the type of materials being exchanged, and the history and development of the Exchange. Printed materials (e.g., a catalogue of listings) is helpful to businesses who are not accustomed to routine Web searches, or who prefer not to get email or FAX updates on listings. Catalogues are also good marketing tools because they have a lasting impact beyond first glance. However, they are costly and time-consuming to assemble and publish, and need to be updated frequently. A possible alternative for visual advertising might be the production of an insert suitable for newsletters or trade journals. Downloadable electronic brochures might provide some of the advantages of the printed catalog, at lower cost, and with better tools for easily updating the content. An example of such a brochure is available from the Long Island Power Authority Website, and can be found at http://www.lipower.org . The advantage of this approach is a significant savings in mailing costs, while allowing the brochure to be printed on demand by an interested customer. The LIPA brochure also contains a mail-in enrollment form to select a particular type of green energy program (see Appendix III).

Also, some Exchanges use a Fax service for users, providing quick updates on listings and partnership possibilities. This might be a good technique for repeat customers who are constantly looking for either supplies or outlets, but might be seen as an intrusion by new potential customers. Both E-mail lists and Fax updates are best set up by request of the recipient (i.e., by signing up for this "service").

Web listings are included for most of the Exchanges, and after initial setup provide an interactive, accessible mechanism for users at a reasonable cost. However, some users (e.g., understaffed non-profit organizations or new business entities) may not have adequate staff or time for regularly searching the Web for posted information, (i.e., users much "seek out" the information rather than having it packaged in usable form). So, it seems that the marketing challenge is twofold, first, how to make businesses and non-profits aware that the Materials Exchanges exist and provide good opportunities for working together, and secondly, how to actually exchange the information most effectively.

Many of the ideas listed above were derived from the New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report (February 1998), with updates derived from a variety of sources.

COMPUTER DATABASES FOR STORING, ORGANIZING,
AND TRACKING LISTINGS

Computer databases are essential for managing the listings, organizing the membership information, tracking the usage patterns, and evaluating the effectiveness of the programs. In addition, recordkeeping, monthly summaries, and in some cases, invoicing, must be integrated into the databases. Since funding of some Exchanges is based on the statistics of waste diversion, the tracking function becomes even more important. Given that staff resources are usually limited, it is necessary to design good database management techniques in order to meet all these objectives. It is important to make sure that all the databases are compatible, but often as the Exchanges grow, the databases are set up with different software or hardware, or at the very least, with different versions of software or operating systems. Thus, periodic update and improvements are necessary to assure effective operation of the database management.

Entering information is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Thus, databases that allow the user or lister to enter as much information as possible are more efficient. This is probably best accomplished using "pull down lists" that achieve some measure of consistency with entries. It is especially useful to have an automatic tracking system for capturing statistics on the Exchanges made (e.g., at the time an item is exchanged, that the zip code of the user and/or generator be entered, along with the quantity transferred, this information can be easily recaptured and mapped to track the amount of waste diverted, along with the locational data (e.g., zipcode designation). One of the most challenging problems is how to get the old listings removed from the database in a timely manner. Although this could probably be set up to be an automatic function at the time that an exchange is executed, most of the older Exchanges do not function in this manner, and it therefore becomes incumbent upon either the lister or the exchange staff to periodically update the listings.

Other information that can be used for tracking and evaluation of the exchanges made include the value of the materials exchanged, the quantity, volume or weight of materials exchanged, or the number of Exchanges made. The most desirable methodology would enable Materials Exchanges to collect and track desired measures of success in an automatic way, using computer tools to do so. However, Exchanges also could use follow-up letters or telephone calls to listers and/or users, but this is an expensive, time-consuming activity. Diverted tonnage may be easier to measure than dollars saved so most Exchanges focus on the volume of materials exchanged. In order to accurately assess the actual dollars saved, researchers need to carry out complex calculations based on material value, potential for resale, depreciation, transport costs, landfill tipping fees, and long term landfill capacity. This situation was summarized by Suzanne LaLong, Executive Director of the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCCRA), who notes that "the cost/benefit equation is really much more complex than simply comparing costs of collection and processing..." and who then goes on to explain some of the variables, which include the varied public/private collection system in the county, the types of disposal utilized, the outsourced recycling activities, and the inability to get full disclosure of information by private firms (Hadley, 1997). Possibly the use of life cycle estimates for a given type of equipment or product might provide usable estimates of cost savings to industry or cost avoidance for waste management agencies. Also, computerized data-mining techniques applied to past data could be utilized for assembling additional statistical techniques to track effectiveness of the Materials Exchanges.

Assessing the results of an exchange service is required by funding sources of many of the Exchanges, but in the absence of such a requirement, should be carried out as a part of good management practices. Tracking performance allows for goal setting and serves as an early warning system for areas needing attention. Standardization of measurement instruments would permit better comparison among Exchanges. By setting up a consistent reporting period (e.g., monthly) and developing a standard form for recording performance, the Exchanges could possibly better coordinate their efforts at expanding their influence in the Northeast region. Standardizing data formats, categories of reused materials, populations served, and volume of wastes diverted would make the databases more compatible; this topic is currently under discussion among the Exchanges. Suggestions for the components of a reporting form have been summarized for the Minnesota Materials Exchange Alliance by Barb Nesheim, as reported in Resource Recycling Magazine, November 2000.

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POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS FOR MATERIALS EXCHANGES

In addition to the partnering described already (e.g., federal, state, and municipal agencies, environmental NGO's), direct partnerships could be developed. One of the most obvious possibilities is to establish working relationships with universities, where academic professionals from many fields may be interested in working with Materials Exchanges in the fields of marketing, risk assessment, accounting practices, environmental policymaking, etc. Professors have the ability to seek grants to explore new ideas for management, funding, and planning for public services; they often have graduate students who are seeking cooperative arrangements for gaining experience, and undergraduates looking for internship opportunities. In turn, most universities today have ample computer facilities and staffing, and are often willing to host websites or provide programming expertise for public services, for only a modest fee.

Other approaches would include direct arrangements whereby a company producing a reusable product in an ongoing fashion might welcome the development of markets for that product. For example, the Sherwin Williams Paint Company was targeted by the Rhode Island Resource-X-change in a partnering arrangement whereby outdated paints (still usable) are made available to nonprofits for refurbishing or renovation purposes. By identifying classes of products that have expiration dates (and would thereby be removed from sellable inventory), and targeting the companies that produce those products, many possible partnerships might emerge. Another example might be residential and corporate apartment communities (maintenance departments often have leftover material from installation and rehabilitation operations).

Possibly auto junkyards would benefit greatly from being able to keep down their inventory by utilizing the Materials Exchanges when needed. This would also have the benefit of keeping the junkyard operations at a manageable size.

Another set of possible partners might be utility companies, who often include public service announcements with the invoices mailed to customers. Again, an appropriate brochure could be developed for this purpose. This would be particularly helpful for business customers. An example of a utility company (Public Service of New Hampshire, part of Northeast Utilities) program to support community service can be viewed at the following website: http://www.psnh.com/Community/NHMatter/default.asp.

One type of partnership that might be quite fruitful for Materials Exchanges might be to seek out liaisons with art and design programs at universities and in public schools, looking for creative materials to advertise the Exchanges (i.e., buttons, magnets, calendars, pens, pencils, preferably made of recycled materials). These items have a lasting impact because they are placed on desks or walls and act as an ongoing reminder. Poster contests would also add visual impact and winning entries could possibly be posted in public places for ongoing impact.

Partnerships with educators could result in the development of curriculum modules designed for different age groups that would focus on the concept of materials management and provide information about the variety of online Materials Exchanges. This would have several beneficial results, educating the next generation of decision makers, stimulating more educators to become involved directly with Materials Exchanges, thereby raising awareness of the waste management problems confronting us at this time, and stimulating creative solutions to these complex problems.

Schools, along with other municipal departments, need to know about the Exchanges in order to obtain needed furniture and equipment at an affordable cost. Recent surveys seem to indicate that most schools and municipalities in the Northeast region have little familiarity with Materials Exchanges, and have not utilized the Exchanges to a large extent, most commonly because they don't know about the opportunity. However, for most schools, purchases of supplies and equipment are made through a centralized office. Timing is important in this matter, since schools usually plan their budgets in November-December, finalize the budgets in February-March, and purchase items from April-July. They are further limited in their purchasing by the need for competitive bids, and in some cases may be bound by state contracts. This reality calls for well structured liaisons with the Materials Exchanges that are in place before the budgeting and bidding process takes place.

In order for schools and municipalities to partner well with the Materials Exchanges, a clear description of the benefits and procedures to be derived should be developed. As described elsewhere in this report, a template for such an information packet could be co-developed by the Exchanges and NERC, and adapted as needed by each Exchange. Procedures for finding needed items and bringing them onsite should be flexible and convenient. Clear descriptions are essential, and digital photos are desirable, where technically possible. This is easier if the materials are warehoused, but today's digital tools would make it more manageable (e.g., thumbnail photos are relatively easy and cost-effective to send electronically and be incorporated into a database). A rating system for describing the condition of the items for exchange should be agreed upon by users and Exchange managers, and should be consistent for all Exchanges. Models for rating systems could be collaboratively developed by the Exchanges. It is probably desirable for Exchange managers to initially work with liaison groups (e.g., State Educational Collaboratives, Superintendent's Councils, or umbrella groups like the ReStore and Residuum in Vermont, Recycling for Rhode Island Education, and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Network Alliance in Massachusetts), when trying to track down purchasing agents at municipal school systems or individual schools. For school districts, the most interested parties are superintendents, business managers, and grounds and maintenance staff, whereas, for municipalities, purchasing officers and finance directors seem to be influential in these decisions.

Partnerships with libraries (public and university) could result in better information being disseminated about the importance of Materials Exchanges, and opportunities for public discussion and presentations could be developed.

Partnering with organizations such as Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries, as recipients of listed materials might enable the Exchanges to align with the public access available to these large entities. Likewise, pairing with Habitat for Humanity would also generate good publicity and would provide the added benefit of moving that organization in the direction of choosing reusable materials for their projects.

To address the problem of procuring appropriate and cost-effective warehouse space (for those Exchanges that maintain an inventory of items to be distributed), partnerships that allow for sharing of warehouses with other non-profits (e.g., Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries), or with state and local government agencies that deal with unused properties (e.g., tax departments, facility managers, government surplus programs, and economic development). For example, if a new industrial park were being developed, it would be advantageous for the Materials Exchange to be involved and even have a presence onsite (i.e., a "green service" for the businesses).

Other successful ventures and partnerships are listed in Appendix V: Success Stories for Materials Exchanges.

FUNDING MECHANISMS & SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Funding mechanisms vary widely among Materials Exchanges, and to some degree the funding is tied to the design and sponsorship of the Exchange. Government agencies and/or public corporations may provide services for no charge, whereas, private or non-profit organizations may need to obtain operating revenues by charging fees for service. Conversely, government mandates for an Exchange may require that it be self-supporting, thus necessitating a fee structure. In general, most Exchange managers seek to become self-sufficient in terms of operating costs, and at the very least to meet waste diversion goals set forth by the municipality or state in which they operate (thus providing cost avoidance for waste disposal). Some of the approaches for generating revenue, paying operating costs, and attempting to achieve self-sufficiency are listed below:

Effective documentation of wastes diverted, cost savings to exchange users, partnerships developed among businesses, and benefits derived by non-profits who take advantage of the Materials Exchanges are the best advertising to attract new users. These reports can also be utilized when applying for grants or other donations. NERC could seek out economics professors who might want to research and characterize the complex cost/benefit dynamics of online Materials Exchanges, and by so doing be able to benchmark the objectives for moving toward self-sufficiency and achieving sustainable Exchanges.

In short, just as business users are encouraged to consider cost savings as a type of revenue stream for the business, the Materials Exchanges need to view their networking and outreach as part of their own cost savings and long-term support system.

QUESTIONS RAISED FOR MATERIALS EXCHANGES

1. ReCONNstruction Center: What lessons have you learned that would enable other areas to develop a similar program? Is warehousing necessary, as opposed to listing the materials in an online exchange?
   
   
2. Maine Materials Exchange: Do you feel that charging an administrative fee for free Exchanges precludes any users from participating? Does your fee-based model discourage other types of free Exchanges (e.g., household appliances or computer Exchanges with schools) from being developed?
   
   
3. Massachusetts Materials Exchange: Has your cost assessment program worked well (i.e., a percentage of the cost savings derived from a given exchange of goods)?
   
   
4. New Hampshire Materials Exchange: Would you recommend the addition of fax services and/or a printed catalog for other Materials Exchanges? Do the benefits warrant the cost of printing, for example? Did you find the link associated with Recycler's World to be useful? Has the cost/benefit ratio proved to be positive for you?
   
   
5. RI Exchanges: What lessons can be learned from separating the two Exchanges (ResourceXchange and FreeMarketRI)? The FreeMarket name is great-would it "sell" better as the name for a combined exchange, with two links on the HomePage? What about rearranging the icons for ResourceXchange (moving the phrase, "where businesses exchange resources free online" to small caps, and moving the phrase, "A Rhode Island Resource Recovery Program" to the smaller font - in other words, exchanging these items)?
   
   
6. Vermont Business Materials Exchange: Has your collaboration with Vermont Business Magazine (monthly featured listings) worked well in showcasing the Exchange?
   
   
7. Build It Green NYC: Do you have any updates on your "deconstruction" program? Have your green building efforts been successful?
   
   
8. City Harvest: How did you handle the initial contacts with restaurants and other food donors? This seems like such a changing landscape, given the turnover of restaurants. Also, could this type of program work in smaller cities and towns? Is there a minimum size population that makes the program feasible and worthwhile?
   
   
9. Furnish a Future: How is your program funded? Will funding be a major factor in sustainability of the program?
   
   
10. Hudson Valley Materials Exchange: To what degree has the program to list and distribute building materials been successful? Would this be a good model for other Materials Exchanges? How are you doing on your path to becoming financially self-sufficient? Do you have any "secrets" that you can share with other Exchanges?
    
    
11. Lower East Side Ecology Center: Was the "take-back days" program in 2003, where small electronics were collected, a successful venture? Would this be a model for other Exchanges, or other cities? Would this approach lend itself to university campus activities?
    
    
12. Materials for the Arts: Have your "professional development workshops to train people on the value and importance of reuse" been successful? What is the model? Do people self-select? Do you target certain groups? Is there a structured curriculum? Do you charge a fee?
    
    
13. Materials Resource Center: What lessons have you learned from your efforts in "creating economic activity" that might be valuable for other Exchanges?
    
    
14. New York Wa$te Match: To what degree has the program become self-sufficient? Have cost analyses been completed that document the reduced cost of waste disposal for the New York City Department of Sanitation that is associated with this program? Is this a model of collaboration that other Exchanges could use? Are the results of your "research studies" published? Have you developed training modules for merging environmentally sound waste management programs into the basic business model? Could these be shared with other Exchanges?
    
    
15. PENCIL: What advice can you provide to the other Exchanges about making effective contacts with educators and school administrators? Is it better to seek out purchasing agents directly, or to work with teachers and administrators to determine the best fit for supplies and needs?
    
    
16. Per Scholas: How extensive are your computer training programs (how many students/year, locations, etc.)? How do you pay for the instructors? Would you recommend this program to other Exchanges? Would this be a possible area for collaboration with Universities (e.g., for volunteer instructors, use of facilities, etc.)?
    
    
17. Recycle-A-Bicycle: Do you recommend that Exchanges in other cities or states attempt to set up a program similar to yours? Do such programs exist? Have you had good feedback from the publication of your "Guide to Starting and Running Youth Bike Clubs"?
    
    
18. ReTech: You have made great strides in changing people's mindsets about "waste" and "reuse". Would facets of your work be applicable to other Exchanges (e.g., partnerships with artists in their respective regions)?
    
    
19. Set Recycling Hotline: Who pays for the transportation of heavier items? Do you encourage the use of "sustainable" supplies, such as paints and other wood-finishing products, or are other groups focusing on this issue? Maybe a brochure on this topic (e.g., "Green Set Building") could be given out or sent to donors and receivers.
    
    
20. Storehouse NY: Have you considered developing similar programs for other U.S. cities? How do you find your "community partners" for setting up your distribution network?
    
    
21. Tools for Schools: How do you make your contacts within school systems, so as to identify what materials might be needed or useful? What office(s) do you target?
    

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MATERIALS EXCHANGES

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REFERENCES CITED

Andrews, Clinton J. and Jamie Mauer. 2000.
"Materials Exchanges: An Exploratory U.S. Survey." Report prepared on July 31, 2000, Rutgers University.
Available: http://radburn.rutgers.edu/andrews/projects

Beck, R.W., Inc. 2001.
"U.S. Recycling Economic Information Study." Prepared for the National Recycling Coalition.
Available: http://www.nrc-recycle.org/resources/rei/studyresults.htm

Beling, Christine. 2000.
"The give-and-take of Materials Exchanges." Resource Recycling Magazine (November, 2000)

Blackwell, J.R. 2004. "Virginia group helps industries, businesses find viable options." Richmond Times-Dispatch,
distributed by Knight Ridder Tribute Business News, Washington, DC, September 23, 2004. Available:http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309&Vinst=
PQD&VType=PQD&sid=10&index=5&SrchMode=1&Fmt=3&did
=000000697622731&clientid=5046

"A Brief Primer on Marketing for Non-Profits."
Available: http://www.nonprofits.org/npofaq/19/98.html

Dimino, Resa & Barbara Warren. 2004.
“Reaching for Zero: A Citizens Plan for Zero Waste in New York City.”
Available: http://www.consumersunion.org/other/zero-waste/reuse.html (Accessed 08/27/05)

Convio, Inc. 2005
"The Basics of Email Marketing for Nonprofits: Using Email Communications to Build and Strengthen Constituent Relations Online".

Environmental Protection Agency. 1996.
"The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste." EPA 530-K-96-003 (September 1996)
NOTE: Excellent source - Success Stories of Exchanges in the U.S.

"Environmental Protection Agency. 2003.
"Reuse + Recycling = Waste Reduction: A Guide for Schools & Groups." EPA 530-K-03-001 (July 2003)

Hadley, Mark. Complex economics muddy debate over recycling.
The Central New York Business Journal 11(19):1.
Available: http://www.cnybj.com

New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable: A Final Report-Internet Version. 1998.
Conducted by the Cornell Waste Management Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region II, on behalf of the New York City Department of Sanitation, November 14, 1997.
Available: http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/WastRed/MatlExch.html Accessed May 31, 2005.

Wallace, Brice. 2004.
"Garbage In, Profits Out." Desert News. Salt Lake City, UT. March 15, pg. C-01.
Available:http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309&Vinst=
PROD&VName=PQD&VType=PQD&sid=10&index=38&
SrchMode=1&Fmt=3&did=000000579148251&clientid=5046

Zuckerman, Faye B. 2005.
"Recycle, Reuse, Freecycle." Providence Sunday Journal, LIFESTYLES, April 17, 2005, pp.7-9.

APPENDIX I: FACT SHEETS FOR MEMBER EXCHANGES

(The Fact Sheets for the member exchanges will be attached in this Appendix, and will also be summarized in a small brochure). The following abbreviations are used in the Fact Sheets and in the summary below (Table I):

Business Model for Exchange:
GA-Governmental Agency Program
GNGO-Governmental Agency/NGO Partnership
NGO-Non-Governmental Program
FPB-For Profit Business Program

Goals and Fees:
RW-Program to Reduce Wastes
FSus-Program to Foster Sustainability
CFP-Charge Fee for Covering Costs of Exchanging Products
CFO-Charge Fee to Cover Costs of Operating Exchange
CM-Charge Fee for Membership
PS-Public Service Effort
FE-Free Exchange

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Build It Green! NYC

Contact Information for Exchange:
Justin Green, Program Director
jgreen@cecenter.org
718-777-0132 (Tel) 718-777-0122 (Fax)
3-17 26^th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11102-4119

Website for Exchange:
http://www.bignyc.org/index.html

History & Background of Exchange:
Build It Green! NYC is a project of the Community Environmental Center. For over ten years, the Community Environmental Center has been helping people throughout the New York metro area improve their quality of life, enhance sustainability of housing, and develop local economies through educational and weatherization technical assistance services. By launching a new program in 2005, Build It Green! (BIG), CEC continues to provide New Yorkers with even greater resources to enhance their home and community environments.

Build It Green! NYC offers all New Yorkers a one-stop-source for green building products, resources, and services. By providing an outlet for affordable green building products and services BIG! prevents waste, improves our environment, creates jobs and spurs local economic development. The cornerstone of this program is a 17,500 square feet warehouse in Astoria, Queens. The Build It Green! Warehouse offers a wide variety of affordable, used and surplus building materials, along with a line of reasonably-priced new, green building supplies, such as low-VOC pain and non-toxic cellulose insulation.

Build It Green! has also launched its Deconstruction Services. To date, BIG! has completed two large-scale commercial deconstruction projects which have saved over 45 tons of reusable building materials from being discarded, and appropriately managed 12 tons of recyclables destined for the landfill. In the near future, Build It Green! will be integrating green building consultancy into its service offerings.

ReBuild It! NYC, a partner of Build It Green! , can provide New York City-specific information on establishing a deconstruction or building-materials reuse business. For more information on these organizations and other deconstruction operations, visit the NYCWastele$$ website.

Mission of Exchange:
Build It Green! NYC aims to divert reusable building materials from the waste stream, while also providing the public with access to affordable and environmentally-friendly building materials. The Build It Green Warehouse, NYC's only building materials reuse center is located in Astoria, Queens, and sells salvaged and surplus building materials, making available great products at half or below their new price, while helping to keep perfectly useful material out of the landfill.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Construction Materials (70 tons in 6 months)

Business Model for Exchange:
Non-government Organization (NGO); Foster Sustainability (FSus)

Collection of Fees:
Charge for recovering cost of exchanging products (CFP); charge for covering costs of operating exchange (CFO)

Other Relevant Information:
NYC's businesses, non-profits, and residents can shop at and/or donate to the BIG! Warehouse, and can take advantage of the growing line of resources and services. BIG! is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11am - 6:30 pm. Donations (drop-off and pick-up) are by appointment only.

Sources of Information:
Build It Green! Website
http://www.bignyc.org

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
City Harvest

Contact Information for Exchange:
Jessica Brown, Senior Manager, Food Development
jbrown@cityharvest.org
Jennifer McLean, Director, Food Development
jmclean@cityharvest.org
575 8^th Avenue, 4^th Floor
New York, NY 10018
917-351-8755 (Tel) 917-351-8720 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.cityharvest.org/

History & Background of Exchange:
City Harvest is the product of common sense. In 1981 Helen verDuin Palit, a soup kitchen worker, noticed that neighboring restaurants were wasting good food every day. Seeing an opportunity to bolster the food supply at the soup kitchen, she gathered volunteers and borrowed cars and vans to transport the food from where it was not needed to where it was needed very much. Thus, City Harvest was born.

City Harvest (CH) has distributed more than 100 million pounds of food to a network of more than 800 emergency food programs throughout New York City. The organization now delivers an average of 53,000 pounds of food daily - 19.5 million pounds this year.

City Harvest's common-sense, cost-effective approach remains unchanged, and is intent on working efficiently to help the greatest number of people possible. Picking up and delivering food the same day keeps costs down. Currently, the cost to deliver a pound of food is just 26 cents, making City Harvest a smart, simple solution to ending hunger in New York City.

City Harvest rescues excess, safe food donated by restaurants, caterers, hotels, supermarkets, manufacturers, distributors, and farms-any establishment that has surplus food that would otherwise be wasted-and then redistributes it free of charge to agencies that feed New York City's hunger community. CH also teaches people how to use the products provided, as well as to make the most of their food budgets through their Operation Frontline classes.

CH accepts all food-safe food and utilizes food grade tins, lids and bags for food collection. If you have less than 20 lbs of food, their "Street Fleet" team will be dispatched to collect it and deliver it to food agencies. If you have more than 20 lbs, CH can send a refrigerated truck to make the pickup.

Mission of Exchange:
City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout New York City. The organization meets this vision through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Food (In 2004, diverted approximately 20 million pounds - 10,000 tons - of safe food from the waste stream)

Business Model for Exchange:
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/Free Exchange (PSFE)

Sources of Information:
City Harvest Website
http://www.cityharvest.org

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
FreeMarketRI

Contact Information for Exchange:
Paul A. Caccia, Waste Prevention Manager
paulc@rirrc.org
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation
65 Shun Pike
Johnston, RI 02919-4512
401-942-1430 x115 (Tel) 401-942-0239 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.freemarket.org

History & Background of Exchange:
The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, a state agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage solid waste, in conjunction with the Management Resource Center of Bryant University, has developed two online materials exchanges, one focused on matching businesses, nonprofits and government agencies ( http://www.resourceXchange.org ), and one dedicated to homeowners and individual consumers (http://www.freemarketRI.org ).

The website for homeowners and individual consumers - FreeMarketRI is a listing service for residents who want to give or get free reusable goods for the home, garage, and garden, in an attempt to reduce the amount of these goods being discarded into the Rhode Island Central landfill. FreemarketRI is partnered with Eureka Recycling from Minneapolis, MN, and is a service for Rhode Island residents.

Mission of Exchange:
To reduce the amount of reusable goods thrown away by individuals and homeowners in Rhode Island, and thereby reduce the volume of waste being discarded into the Central Landfill.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety of materials (FreeMarketRI.org has signed up approximately 21,000 members in Rhode Island since March 2004, and members have diverted an estimated 103,000 pounds of goods from the Rhode Island central landfill in 2004-2005).

Business Model for Exchange:
Government Agency Program focused on reducing wastes, as a Public Corporation in Rhode Island (GA)

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/Free Exchange (PSFE); Program to Reduce Waste (RW)

Sources of Information:
ResourceXchange Website:
http://www.resourcexchange.org

Free Market RI Website
http://www.freemarketri.org

Article in Providence Sunday Journal, April 17, 2005
Zuckerman, Faye B. 2005. "Recycle, Reuse, Freecycle." Providence Sunday Journal, LIFESTYLES, April 17, 2005, pp.7-9.

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Furnish a Future

Contact Information for Exchange:
Myung Lee, Director
mlee@pfth.orgm
476 Jefferson Street, 2^nd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11237-2330
718-875-5353 (Tel) 718-418-9218

Website for Exchange:
http://www.partnershipforthehomeless.org/programs/
furnish_a_future.html

History & Background of Exchange:
The Partnership for the Homeless began in 1982 with a single emergency shelter for men in the basement of a Greenwich Village church. What many then thought was a temporary crisis has become a chronic social problem that affects increasing numbers of New Yorkers. For over two decades, the Partnership has developed programs to meet the changing needs of homeless people in our city. Outreach teams, social workers, case managers, housing specialists, job trainers, legal advocates, nutritionists, cooks and volunteers provide shelter and nourishment, services, skills, provide ongoing support that enables thousands of people each year to navigate the difficult road from homelessness to permanent housing and greater independence. Today, PFTH operate an array of programs that address the complex needs of homeless New Yorkers.

Since 1992, The Furnish a Future (FAF) program has been collecting furniture and house wares from donors in all five boroughs, and will pick up donations if necessary. Their clients, most of who are referred by the Department of Homeless Services, go "shopping" at their warehouse. All items are provided free of charge to the clients, and selected items are delivered at no cost to the clients.

Mission of Exchange:
The Partnership for the Homeless is committed to partnering with the faith community, neighborhood-based organizations, business and government to attack the root causes of homelessness and empower homeless people to leave the city's streets and shelters for lives of independence and financial stability.

The Furnish a Future program provides formerly homeless individuals and families the essential furniture and house wares needed to turn the bare rooms of their new apartments into comfortable and livable homes.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Furniture (In 2004, FAF provided tons of reusable furniture and household items to over 2,000 households in the NYC metro area)

Business Model for Exchange:
Government agency/NGO Partnership (GNGO)

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/Free Exchange (PSFE)

Sources of Information:
Partnership for the Homeless Website:
http://www.partnershipforthehomeless.org
Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Hudson Valley Materials Exchange
Community Warehouse

Contact Information for Exchange:
Jill Gruber, Executive Director
hvme@hvc.rr.com
1101 First Street, Building #404
Stewart International Airport
New Windsor, NY 12553
845-567-1445 (Tel) 845-567-1536 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.hvmaterialsexchange.com/

History & Background of Exchange:
The Hudson Valley Materials Exchange (HVME) was originally a municipal program sponsored by the Town of New Paltz and funded by NYS Department of Economic Development- Office of Recycling Market Development, beginning in March 1993.

The original purpose of the program was to establish a local waste exchange listings catalog similar to that of the industrial regional waste exchanges, but focusing on local wastes in smaller quantities closer to home. The art and education communities were targeted as users of the materials because of the nature of the first listings published and the demographics of the area (the Hudson Valley has one of the highest percentages of artists in the country). Initial responses to the first listings included requests for detailed descriptions of the materials.

Listers were asked to provide samples of the listed materials and found that they were very different than described. Samples of the listed materials were collected and then potential users were invited to come and view the samples. The plan was to give them the listing information of the materials they were interested in, and they would make the arrangements for the collection of the ones they wanted. Upon executing this plan we found that the viewers of the samples were not the ones to make the decisions about the materials. They needed to take some of the samples back to their decision makers. It then became necessary to collect increasingly larger amounts of sample materials. However, users were not willing to travel an hour to collect the materials but were willing to take them from us.

Within a year after publishing the first listing catalog, HVME collected and distributed nearly ten tons of reusable waste materials from their tiny 400 sq. foot warehouse. As the initial 20 companies began to look at their waste stream through our eyes, the volume of the materials they wanted to donate became too great to handle in the space we had. In addition, our users were starting to come from areas far outside the small town of New Paltz. Consequently, HVME incorporated as a non profit in January, 1995, and moved to a larger (3000 sq. ft) facility called "The Community Warehouse" in September, 1995. They started charging a small membership fee in November, 1994, with additional fees for some materials in February, 1996.

To date HVME has raised over $120,000 from the sale of materials, diverted over 2000 tons of materials from the Hudson Valley waste stream with a disposal and purchasing cost avoidance of over $1,000,000. In 1997, HVME set out to become financially self-sufficient through our own activities as opposed to funding through grants from government agencies. To that end, they decided to expand the Community Warehouse to include used/surplus building materials.

By identifying and collecting preventable waste appropriate for the Community Warehouse through their Waste Assessment Services, HVME helps local companies to minimize waste disposal costs, free up valuable storage space, and in most cases receive a tax-deduction for donated materials. By distributing reusable materials from the Community Warehouse (ranging from non-traditional arts supplies to building materials) HVME enriches the learning experiences of students and helps local business, schools and homeowners save money. In addition, HVME educates shoppers as to the origins of their inventory, offers workshops illustrating end uses for their materials and encourages them to share information with others.

Mission of Exchange:
Hudson Valley Materials Exchange, an educational waste prevention organization, fosters business and community development, art and culture, environmental protection, and sustainable living through its services.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety (In 2004, HVME diverted over 2,000 tons of materials through its member network of 300-members, which includes 8 school districts and 25 schools)

Business Model for Exchange:
Government Agency/Non-Governmental Organization Partnership (GNGO)

Collection of Fees:
Program dedicated to reducing wastes (RW) and fostering sustainability (FSus); Charge for covering costs of exchanging products (CFP); and charge for covering costs of operation (CFO)

Sources of Information:
Hudson Valley Materials Exchange Website:
http://hvmaterialsexchange.com

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Lower East Side Ecology Center

Contact Information for Exchange:
Christine Datz-Romero, Director
info@lescologycenter.org
P.O. Box 20488
New York, NY 10009
212-477-4022 (Tel) 212-420-0621 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.lesecologycenter.org

History & Background of Exchange:
Since 1987, New York City's Lower East Side Ecology Center (LESEC), a grass-roots environmental not-for-profit organization, has provided New Yorkers with a wide range of community based recycling and education programs. LESEC, is well known for its "pay dirt"-rich compost made from New York City residents' kitchen scraps, as well as for its diversity of hands-on environmental education programs. Other projects have included e-waste recycling events, advocacy for responsible solid waste management practices in New York City, environmental education geared towards youth on the Lower East Side, stewardship and advocacy for public open space, and a working, mixed use waterfront. An example of the organization's efforts was a project asking for working and non-working cell phones, computers and other electronics at its Earth Day Take-back Days at Union Square in Manhattan in 2003. A primary goal of the phone and e-waste drive was to collect electronics that New York City residents no longer use and would ordinarily throw out, and to inform residents that electronics contain lots of heavy metals and other persistent and bio-accumulative toxins. If they are disposed of in landfills and incinerators, these items spread those pollutants and chemicals into the air and groundwater.

Working computers were refurbished at Per Scholas, a Bronx based not-for-profit, and sold at low cost to educational institutions and low-income families. Non-working or very old computers and televisions were safely disassembled according to State and Federal guidelines and recycled to the fullest extent. Working and non-working cell phones were collected and shipped to another not-for-profit, Charitable Recycling, which pays one dollar for every phone donated. Proceeds from the donated cell phones were given to the Lower East Side Ecology Center to help fund local, hands-on environmental education programs offered for free to public schoolchildren.

• Computers (laptops and desktops), monitors, printers, keyboards, mice and cables
• TVs (no wooden consoles please, only plastic cases) and VCRs
• Fax Machines

Mission of Exchange:
Lower East Side Ecology Center (LESEC) is working to increase community awareness, involvement, and activism through environmental education.

Goals & Objectives of Exchange:
One goal of this program is to reduce the amount of residential trash exported out of the City daily. New Yorkers generate more than 11,000 tons of household trash every day. With no landfill of its own, the City pays by the pound to have the trash containerized and transported to landfills and incinerators outside the City. LESEC is one of eight community groups contracted by INFORM and funded by the Department of Sanitation to provide waste prevention outreach and education to New York City residents.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety (In 2004/05, LESEC diverted 60 tons/year of organics and 50 tons/year of e-waste)

Business Model for Exchange:
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) designed to foster sustainability (FSus)

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/Free Exchange (PSFE)

Sources of Information:
Lower East Side Ecology Center Website
http://www.lesecologycenter.org
Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Maine Materials Exchange - M2X

Contact Information for Exchange:
Harold Arndt
HArndt@m2x.com
93 Maquoit Drive
Freeport, ME 04032
(Tel) 207-865-6621 (Tel) 207-865-6478 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.m2x.com

History & Background of Exchange:
The Maine Materials Exchange (M2X) was organized as a non-profit in 1995, as an outgrowth of the Maine WasteCap Program and their waste minimization assessments of the early 1990's. The Maine WasteCap Assessments demonstrated that generally all industries had or generated materials and items periodically which were no longer needed by that owner and that there was an opportunity for continued reuse by a new or different owner. However, it was determined that there were few, if any, avenues for exchanges between generators and re-users. A task force of industry representatives from larger industries with "Resource Recovery Programs" convened to organize the Maine Materials Exchange and make available to all industries the services now provided and stated in the mission.

Mission of Exchange:
M2X is a match-making service for companies, businesses, organizations with excess materials and for companies, businesses, organizations and individuals who can make productive use of those wastes, by-products and materials. M2X was developed to link generators wishing to dispose of "useful wastes" (they call it "STUFF") with those who need or can utilize those materials.

Goals & Objectives of Exchange:
M2X is a free service designed to help Maine Businesses reuse materials and find alternatives to throwing valuable materials into Maine landfills and incinerators. Listings are for materials that are "available" or materials that are "wanted". There is no fee to list a material, either as "wanted" or as "available". M2X is a business information clearinghouse that helps businesses reuse valuable materials or wastes rather than dispose of them. The Website listings can assist re-users in finding usable materials, or to assist generators in finding a new user for materials no longer needed. For those paying to dispose of materials that could be used by another business, or purchasing items that other businesses are throwing away, the Maine Materials Exchange can provide a needed service.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
An extremely wide Variety of materials for and from businesses are listed in the database in both the "wanted" and the "available" goods for exchange. Basically all materials and items are considered for listing, but nothing that qualifies as Flammable or Hazardous, or is a Bio-Hazard, is accepted into the M2X warehouse.

Business Model for Exchange:
Governmental/Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) partnership

Collection of Fees:
M2X operated on a variety of fee schedules depending on the involvement of the exchange (CFP, CFO). Client-owned material is available at the exchange as (1) no charge; (2) a negotiable price; (3) a fixed price; or 4) an auctioned price, or (5) is being donated to M2X as a tax deductible donation for redistribution via (1) or (2).

The financial proceeds are shared by both the listing organization and M2X from the "Materials Available" listings, which are successfully exchanged with negotiated prices or fixed prices, or are periodically auctioned. The percentages shared are pre-determined and published per the detailed Financial Consideration Table in Appendix F , located on the Maine Materials Exchange Website. For items listed as no charge or donations, which are successfully exchanged, M2X assesses the new users or owners a handling fee or a negotiated service fee. As a listing organization for materials "Wanted", it is agreed that a service fee for successful exchanges will be accessed by M2X, based on the guidelines outlined on the website.

Sources of Information:
Maine Materials Exchange Website
http://www.m2x.com

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Massachusetts Material Exchange

Contact Information for Exchange:
John Majercak, Center for Ecological Technology
johnm@cetonline.org
26 Market Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413-586-7350(Tel)
John Crisley, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Municipal Waste Reduction Program
John.Crisley@state.ma.us
617-556-1021 (Tel) 617-292-5778 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.materialsexchange.org

History & Background of Exchange:
The Massachusetts Materials Exchange was established in 2000, as a tool for diverting usable materials from the waste stream. The Massachusetts Materials Exchange has been established through public and private grants. The support of participants is needed to ensure that this service continues.

Mission of Exchange:
The Massachusetts Materials Exchange connects businesses with reusable materials with others that can use them.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
All materials (Moved over 2,000 tons of materials in four years; saved participants more than $100,000 in avoided disposal and purchasing costs)

Business Model for Exchange:
Government Agency Program (GA)

Collection of Fees:
Charge Fee to Cover Costs of Operating Exchange (CFO); Program to Reduce Waste (RW)

Other Relevant Information:
Materials commonly listed in our database include manufacturer's byproducts, surplus stock, scrap and overrun material, used equipment, used office furnishings, packaging and transport materials. The Massachusetts Materials Exchange links businesses through its online database, and by actively researching and pursuing reuse and recycling options. Participants arrange for shipping and take possession of the materials themselves.

Participants are asked to contribute a portion of the savings achieved by using the Materials Exchange. Participants determine the amount to contribute, typically 20% of their savings or more. You can call us to discuss this percentage as it pertains to your particular situation. Savings for your business may include: avoided disposal costs, revenues from the sale of materials, purchasing savings, savings in staff costs due to saved time, avoided storage costs, or avoided administrative costs.

Sources of Information:
Massachusetts Materials Exchange Website
http://www.materialsexchange.org

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Materials for the Arts

Contact Information for Exchange:
Harriet Taub, Director
htaub@mfta.org
Robert Bangiola, Deputy Director
info@mfta.org
33-00 Northern Boulevard
Long Island City, NY 11101
718-729-3001 (Tel) 718-729-3941 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.mfta.org

History & Background of Exchange:
Materials for the Arts (MFTA) was created in 1978 when an artist named Angela Fremont, working at the Arsenal in Central Park heard that the Central Park Zoo needed a refrigerator to hold medicine for the animals. A call to a local radio station brought forth a flurry of calls with donations. During the early 1980's MFTA had space in the basement of a public school (PS-1) Institute for Contemporary Art. Currently, MFTA occupies a 25,000 square foot loft in the Center Building, and operates with a staff of 12. This building brings its own sense of history. Originally an automobile factory for the Ford Motor Company, the Center Building provides MFT with passenger and freight elevators and a separate loading dock for use by recipients and donors. Outside the glass wall in the MFTA warehouse are the remnants of an assembly line, echoing the building's industrial past. The MFTA warehouse is able to provide its users with paints and thousands of feet of floor space for furniture and props. Recipients wind up taking more per visit since the array of supplies is vast and interesting.

MFTA provides over 3,000 arts and cultural organizations and NYC public schools with the materials they need to prosper and endure. MFTA gathers materials from companies that no longer need them, and distributes them to artists and educators that do, thus diverting hundreds of tons of valuable resources from NYC's waste stream.

Located near six major subway lines means we are conveniently located for many of our donors and recipients. In fact, we are now finding that organizations are able to shop, and explore the arts community in Long Island City while paying a visit to the MFTA warehouse.

Waste Management, Inc. and Materials for the Arts have come together on a joint project, in which WMI has provided a professional, fully licensed truck driver once a week to help in pickups from donors.

Mission of Exchange:
Materials for the Arts (MFTA) helps artists realize their visions, provides students with a richer educational experience, and offers businesses a simple and efficient way to enhance the cultural life of their city.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety, constantly changing (including furniture, household materials, electronics, home decorating materials, office supplies); in 2004, MFTA diverted 540 tons of reusable materials.

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
PSFE (Recipient pays the cost of, or provides for, delivery of exchange items)

• Chairs, especially office chairs
• Computers (no more than 4 years old)
• Computer related items like scanners, printers, and fax machines
• Household items like irons, dishes, silverware, vases, and lamps
• Fabric
• Frames
• Office supplies
• Projectors and screens
• Video equipment
• Wallpaper and home decorating supplies
• Miscellaneous - ladders, telephones, answering machines, etc.

An interactive website http://www.MFTA.org includes registration forms for both Recipients and Donors and an online Direct Donations program available to registered groups, expanding the kinds of goods and services we can provide to all our recipients. Direct Donation items are those that cannot be taken into our warehouse because of size or quantity restrictions. These items include pianos, theater seats, stoves, refrigerators, etc.

When recipients shop at their warehouse, they essentially take hundreds of tons of waste from the City sanitation system, and transform it into art. They teach children, invigorate museums, and delight audiences throughout the City. MFTA also offers professional development workshops to train people on the value and importance of reuse.

Sources of Information:
Materials for the Arts Webpage
http://www.mfta.org

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Materials Resource Center

Contact Information for Exchange:
Julie Sullivan, Executive Director
arclink@juno.com
1523 Lincoln Avenue
Holbrook, NY 11741
631-580-7290 (Tel) 631-580-7292 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.craftmaterialsresource.com

History & Background of Exchange:
Materials Resource Center (MRC) operates a public reuse center on Long Island that collects a wide range of materials from local businesses and distributes them as non-traditional arts supplies to artists and educators.

Mission of Exchange:
The Materials Resource Center (MRC) is committed to improving the environment and creating economic opportunity by conducting research, and developing and applying waste reduction strategies that lead to conservation of natural resources and materials.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety (In 2004, MRC diverted around 100 tons/year of commercial and industrial scrap and surplus)

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
PSFE (Public Service/Free Exchange)

Sources of Information:
Materials Resource Center Website
http://www.craftmaterialsresource.com

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
New Hampshire Waste Cap Resource Conservation Network (New Hampshire Materials Exchange -NHME)

Contact Information for Exchange:
Mark Toussaint
mtoussaint@wastecapnh.org
WasteCap of New Hampshire
122 N. Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-224-1517 (Tel) 603-224-2872 (Fax)

Website for Exchange (if any):
http://www.wastecapnh.org/nhme/

History & Background of Exchange:
The NHME (a service of the WasteCap Resource Conservation Network), has about 300 listings, managed with a small staff. WasteCap has not received specific funding for the exchange for several years. The program is run from corporate contributes to the WasteCap program. The program is almost entirely automated, and is hosted free of charge by GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.

Mission of Exchange:
The WasteCap Resource Conservation Network (ReCoN) is an initiative of the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire. The goal is to help businesses save money and conserve natural resources by providing free, confidential assistance in reducing solid waste, conserving energy and water, and preventing pollution.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety for business to business exchange.

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-governmental organization)

Collection of Fees:
CFP (Charge for exchanging products)
Funding comes from corporate sponsors.

Other Relevant Material:
Materials exchange information is disseminated in three ways: (1) through the Web site with e-mail links to listers when possible, links to other materials exchanges nationwide, and information about WasteCap's free, confidential waste reduction services; (2) a quarterly electronic newsletter; and (3) an e-mail list serve whereby users sign up to receive current information on exchange opportunities (for information, contact exchange@wastecapnh.org.

Sources of Information:
New Hampshire Materials Exchange Website:
http://www.wastecapnh.org

New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable (November 1997)
http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/WastRed/MatExch.html#anchor9472

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
New York Wa$te Match, a Program of the Industrial and Technology Assistance Corporation (ITAC)

Contact Information for Exchange:
Stefanie Feldman, Program Director
sfeldman@itac.org
info@wastematch.org
ITAC
253 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
212-442-5219 (Tel) 212-442-4567 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.wastematch.org

History & Background of Exchange:
New York Wa$teMatch was launched in 1997 by the NYC Department of Sanitation (DOS), in partnership with the City University of New York (CUNY). Additional program support is provided by the Empire State Economic Development Corporation.

NY Wa$teMatch helps businesses save money by providing an online Materials Exchange and brokering service for industrial scraps, packaging, and other items that are potentially reusable, but for which there are not well-established recycling markets. While reuse is the primary objective, some transactions involve recycling when reuse outlets are not available.

NY Wa$teMatch's materials management services, in addition to their education and research projects, merge environmental responsibility with sound business practices. Their main activities are online materials exchange, waste assessment, brokering, technical assistance, research and development.

Mission of Exchange:
To foster environmentally sound economic development through innovative waste reduction and resource recovery strategies.

Goals & Objectives of Exchange:
(1) Increase local infrastructure for regional waste disposal capacity (By helping businesses reduce the overall amount of waste generated that needs to be moved through the City's limited transfer station capacity and reducing truck trips of exported waste, NY Wa$teMatch has a positive impact on the environment); (2) Develop better public awareness about the benefits and opportunities for waste reduction and reuse.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
NY Wa$teMatch works primarily with NYC businesses and industrial firms. However, only hazardous materials and hazardous wastes are prohibited from the Materials Exchange. (In 2004, NY Wa$teMatch diverted approximately 4,000 tons of wastes and saved area businesses thousands of dollars in avoided disposal costs).

Business Model for Exchange:
GNGO (Government/ Non-governmental Organization Partnership)
Independent nonprofit economic development organization, funded primarily by government funds.

Collection of Fees:
Gain-sharing Fees for Technical Assistance (CFP); Public Service, Materials Exchange is donation-based (PSFE); Program to Reduce Volume of Wastes (RW).

Sources of Information:
New York Wa$teMatch website
http://www.wastematch.org

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable, November 1997
http://cwmi.css.cornel.edu/WastRed/MatlExch.html#anchor9472

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
PENCIL

Contact Information for Exchange:
Jesse Determann, Donor Programs & Partnership Associate
jesse@pencil.org
30 West 26^th Street, 5^th Floor
New York, NY 10010
646-638-0565 (Tel) 646-638-0585 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.thepencilbox.org

History & Background of Exchange:
Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning (PENCIL) was founded in 1995 to develop civic involvement in New York City public education in order to improve student achievement. Its flagship program, Principal For A Day, pairs thousands of New Yorkers from the private sector with the city's schools and enhances the learning environment of students in New York City public schools. The Pencil Box is a not for profit website where individuals and businesses can post gently used goods on the Web for New York City public schools to obtain through donations. A broad range of items can be posted on the site for the review of the City's public schools. If a school is interested in a particular item, they are required to fill out a form in order to contact the donor.

These two programs, The Pencil Box, and Principal For A Day, along with other PENCIL programs, foster hundreds of long-term partnerships with schools, generate millions of dollars worth of donations of cash, goods, and services for schools and school districts, and act as a vehicle through which the city's private sector advocates for educational reform. PENCIL's programs continue to serve as national and international models of private sector engagement in public education.

Mission of Exchange:
The mission of The PENCIL Box is to provide New York City public schools material support through the donation of goods that would be unavailable due to budgetary constraints, or goods that supplement the schools' own resources to improve student achievement.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Any materials suitable for the school environment including books, furniture, computers, art supplies, computers, sports equipment, science equipment, and other educational tools (In 2004, The Pencil Box diverted tons of reusable materials from landfills and assisted hundreds of NYC public schools).

Business Model for Exchange:
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/Free Exchange (PSFE)

Sources of Information:
The Pencil Box Website:
http://www.thepencilbox.org/

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Per Scholas, Inc.

Contact Information for Exchange:
Mike Capobianco
mcapobianco@perscholas.org
1231 Lafayette Avenue
Bronx, NY 10474
718-772-0655 (Tel) 718-991-0414 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.perscholas.org

History & Background of Exchange:
Per Scholas (PSI), located in the South Bronx, was founded in 1995 with the help of a consortium of foundations and corporations, and was originally dedicated to providing refurbished computers to schools. Today, Per Scholas has expanded their offerings of refurbished computers to the residential market as well. The computers are rebuilt by a dedicated staff and resold to schools and deserving individuals at a very low and affordable price. Per Scholas also offers A+ computer training courses to students. To facilitate the training program and offering of refurbished computers they also operate an EPA-certified, full service technology recycling facility. Located in the Bronx, NY, the facility recycles computers that cannot be refurbished, further diverting harmful waste from landfills.

• To provide reconditioned personal computers at remarkably low cost to students, families and other users who might otherwise have no access to technology.
• To create career opportunities in computer technology for able and motivated individuals whose professional options are limited, by offering training programs for disadvantaged community residents to become computer technicians.
• To provide corporations a safe and efficient way of disposing of used computer equipment.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Computers and computer peripherals, including printers, servers, hubs, copiers, monitors, laptops, and other storage devices. (In 2004, Per Scholas recycled over 60,000 pieces of equipment).

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
CFP (Charge for covering costs of exchanging products); CFO (Charge for covering costs of operation). In most cases Per Scholas charges a fee for the pick-up, removal, disposition, and certification of recycled equipment. Fees vary depending on type of entity.

Sources of Information:
Per Scholas Website
http://www.perscholas.org/index.html

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
The ReCONNstruction Center

Contact Information for Exchange:
Paula Flack
paulajflack@yahoo.com
General Information
info@reconnstructioncenter.org
The ReCONNstruction Center
230 South Street
New Britain, CT 06051
(860) 597-3390 (Tel)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.reconnstructioncenter.org/about.html#contact

History & Background of Exchange:
Selling quality pre-owned items is as old as common sense. Yankee frugality and global knowledge came together and spawned the concept of creating a used building materials store here in Connecticut. John Powers, a Connecticut native, had seen building materials being reused all over the U.S. and abroad. Wanting his own community to have the same opportunity, he connected with people who shared his practical vision. Together, they founded The ReCONNstruction Center in 2003.

The name of the ReCONNstruction Center came to light after thinking about what our goals were and where we were going to be located. The "Re" stands for Reuse and Recycle; CONN is an abbreviation for the state of Connecticut, in which we are incorporated; and "reconstruct" means to construct again. Put it all together, and the term "ReCONNstruction" symbolizes the rebirth of a building that incorporates used materials.

The ReCONNstruction Center functions similarly to a Salvation Army thrift shop, except that instead of accepting clothing and household goods, the Center accepts donations of unwanted, but perfectly usable building materials. These materials are inventoried, priced, and displayed at the store. Each donor receives a receipt with a description of the donated materials that can be used to claim a tax deduction.

Recently, The ReCONNstruction Center won Ford Motor Company's "Best Business Plan Contest," surpassing 1,200 other contestants from across the country. The contest was judged by a panel of former and current business owners, showing that folks who have been in business themselves think that The ReCONNstruction Center has a great chance at success. The cash award, used to implement our mission, represents a prestigious honor that will help to strengthen other grant applications.

The ReCONNstruction Center is open to the general public and is staffed by paid employees and volunteers.

Mission of Exchange:
The ReCONNstruction Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to promote environmental and social sustainability by salvaging unwanted, but perfectly good building materials, and reselling them at prices affordable to the average wage earner, and to support these activities specifically in urban areas, recognizing these locations as essential to the long term sustainability of the economy and culture.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Construction Materials

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
Charge to cover costs of exchanging products (CFP); Charge to cover costs of operation (CFO). Retail sales; Public Service (PS).

Sources of Information:
ReCONNstruction Center Website
http://www.reconnstructioncenter.org

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Recycle-a-Bicycle

Contact Information for Exchange:
Karen Overton, Executive Director
koverton@recycleabicycle.org
Dumbo Shop
55 Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-858-2972 (Tel)
East Village Shop
75 Avenue C, between Fifth and Sixth Streets
New York, NY 10009
212-475-1655 (Tel)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.recycleabicycle.org

History & Background of Exchange:
Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) was launched as a pilot program in the summer of 1994, via a partnership of Transportation Alternatives (a NYC bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group), the Children's Aid Society, New York City Intermediate School 218 (IS-218), and Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger. The immediate result was the establishment of a bicycle refurbishing workshop in an unused industrial arts room in IS 218, in upper Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood. After one season, the program was incorporated into the school's curriculum and offered by the NYC Board of Education as an industrial arts class.

Since that time, RAB has continued to grow and diversify. In 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded a grant to develop a "how-to" book for replicating Recycle-A-Bicycle across the U.S. Tools for Life was published later that year to national acclaim, and the manual has been shared with over 3,000 organizations across the country.

In 1996, the Henry Street Settlement initiated a summer youth employment program that has grown into a year round training initiative at the Dumbo Training Center. In addition to the basic curriculum, students learn business concepts as related to a bike shop: sales, customer service, marketing, and inventory management. This partnership has resulted in the opening of two retail shops,

Recycle-A-Bicycle is now an independent non-profit organization dedicated to youth development, environmental education and job training program. RAB is the largest youth training program of its type in the country and it has touched almost a thousand young people during its existence. The bicycle maintenance and repair workshops are offered to youth between the ages of 10-18. Class discussion places the mechanical work in the context of the environmental benefits of recycling and bicycle transportation. At some sites, it also introduces students to the practical aspects of running a small business. Additionally, kids have the opportunity to participate in a sweat-equity "Earn-A-Bike" program. Refurbished bikes in excess of those earned by participating children are donated to community organizations that run outdoor youth projects or sold to increase revenue.

RAB offers four in-school programs, three ride clubs, and two retail stores, located in the East Village (Manhattan) and Dumbo (Brooklyn), where RAB graduates are employed, that sell a wide range of refurbished bicycles. Each site has a co-sponsoring organization already active in the community that has provided support.

Recently, Bike New York funded the publication of One Revolution at a Time: A Guide to Starting and Running Youth Bike Ride Clubs, a 48-page illustrated manual, focused on RAB's lessons gleaned from many years of organizing bike trips for young people.

Each summer, Recycle-A-Bicycle works in partnership with Green Map Systems to involve youth in an environmental education project. Students are "hired" as environmental investigators and must research themes such as waste management, alternative transportation, air pollution, and the relevance of community gardens. Students visit government agencies, businesses, non-profits, and libraries to gather information. Field trips are taken by bike and each student records drawings and findings in a journal. At the end of the summer, the students' work culminates into a map that is then distributed in the neighborhood. The project is funded by the NYC Citizens Committee.

Mission of Exchange:
Recycle-A-Bicycle refurbishes donated bikes and sells them at our retail locations. It is an innovative, fun, youth training initiative that has taken root in New York City public schools and respected after-school youth programs. RAB is a hands-on way to promote everyday bicycle use, learn bicycle mechanics, interact with positive, forward-thinking NYC youth, and find that city bike you need.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Bicycles (In 2004, RAB diverted 20 tons of bicycles and related items, and provided hundreds of kids with marketable skills).

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
PS (Public Service); RW (Reduce volume of wastes); CFO (Charge to cover costs of operation); CFP (Charge to cover costs of exchanging products). Bicycles are donated, repaired, and sold; training is free.

Other Relevant Information:
RAB maintains liaison training programs with a number of other non-profit organizations and youth training centers. RAB has special summer programs, including the "Peace Quilt Project" from Summer 2004. Recycle-A-Bicycle at IS-90 was awarded the 2004 Neighborhood Environmental Intern Program by Citizens for NYC.

Sources of Information:
Recycle-A-Bicycle Website
http://www.recycleabicycle.org

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
ResourceXchange of Rhode Island

Contact Information for Exchange:
Paul A. Caccia, Waste Prevention Manager
paulc@rirrc.org
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation
65 Shun Pike
Johnston, RI 02919-4512
401-942-1430, x115 (Tel) 401-942-0239 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.resourcexchange.org

History & Background of Exchange:
The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, a state agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage solid waste, has developed two online materials exchanges. The Rhode Island ResourceXchange is focused on matching businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies. The FreeMarketRI, in partnership with Eureka Recycling, from Minneapolis, MN, provides services to Rhode Island homeowners and individual consumers.

The ResourceXchange website, developed in partnership with the Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University, provides a listing service for businesses, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and government agencies for free exchange of resources.

The website for homeowners and individual consumers - FreeMarket RI (Available at http://www.freemarketri.org ) is a listing service for residents who want to give or get free reusable goods for the home, garage, and garden, in an attempt to reduce the amount of these goods being discarded into the Rhode Island Central Landfill.

Mission of Exchange:
Businesses, schools, colleges, nonprofits and government agencies can exchange resources free online.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety of materials (ResourceXchange, the business exchange, has provided the opportunity for approximately 500 businesses to divert 687,000 pounds of reusable things in 2004-2005).

Business Model for Exchange:
Government agency program (GA)

Collection of Fees:
PSFE (Public service/ free exchange); Program for Reducing the Volume of Waste (RW)

Sources of Information:
ResourceXchange Website:
http://www.resourcexchange.org

Free Market RI Website
http://www.freemarketri.org

Article in Providence Sunday Journal, April 17, 2005
Zuckerman, Faye B. 2005. "Recycle, Reuse, Freecycle." Providence Sunday Journal, LIFESTYLES, April 17, 2005, pp 7-9.

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
ReStore Home Improvement Center (Massachusetts)

Contact Information for Exchange:
John Grossman, Manager
johng@cetonline.org
250 Albany Street
Springfield, MA 01105
413-788-6900 (Tel)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.restoreonline.org

History & Background of Exchange:
The ReStore was founded in 2001 in an underused property in Springfield. Two years later it tripled its size by expanding to another building next door. In 2004, the ReStore began offering green demolition, or deconstruction, services.

Mission of Exchange:
ReStore's mission is to reuse valuable materials, make home improvement affordable for more people, and to create local jobs and provide job training. The ReStore received grant funding to help cover costs during the first few years of operations. Our goal is to make the ReStore self-sustaining through the income created through our sales, which it has been since its third year of operations.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Used and surplus building materials - cabinets, windows, doors, lighting, plumbing, flooring, and more.

Business Model for Exchange:
For profit business (FPB); reduce volume of wastes (RW).

Collection of Fees:
Retail sales, including charges for operations and goods (CFP, CFO)

Other Relevant Information:
The ReStore accepts donations of quality but unwanted home improvement materials and sells them to the public at low prices in a convenient retail setting.

The ReStore's inventory includes used and salvaged materials and surplus stock from the building industry. Items are accepted from homeowners, contractors, manufacturers, retailers, and municipal collection centers.

Sources of Information:
ReStore Home Improvement Website
http://www.restoreonline.org

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
ReTech, Inc.

Contact Information for Exchange:
Erik Wood, President
erik@retechkids.org
165 East 36^th Street
New York, NY 10016
917-686-6190 (Tel) 212-679-8490 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.retechkids.org

History & Background of Exchange:
ReTech is an art form developed by New York artist Erik Wood, using re-purposed technology and other non-traditional and contemporary materials. Through the making of art and its public display, the ReTech Art Program stretches and strengthens creative thinking, promotes self-esteem, and encourages environmental responsibility.

Erik Wood is a working New York artist and parent. He has been very active for many years in his children's (public) schools, and his community. He began sharing his unique knowledge and skills with children in his first ReTech workshop in January 2001. In March 2001, following a workshop and exhibit at the Kips Bay Branch of the New York Public Library, Erik Wood's efforts were described in a full page article in the New York Daily News, and he was named New York 1's "New Yorker of the Week."

Through art workshops ReTech allows children, the elderly, and corporate clients have fun discovering and nurturing their creativity and problem-solving abilities. In turn, these workshops help to enlighten and energize people about the environment and the benefits of reuse and waste prevention. ReTech also facilitates art shows in public spaces, building students' self-confidence and spreading the reuse message that will help make their workshops available to all.

Since May 2001, Erik Wood has worked with over 2,000 three- and four-year-olds in Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs in New York City, and pieces of the children's work were shown at The National Arts Club in November 2001.

Mission of Exchange:
Not-for-profit organization, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation, which focuses on recycled technology in art, serving NYC public schools and libraries. The goals of ReTech, Inc. include the following: promote ReTech styled art; encourage cooperation among artists, teachers, students and others; develop community appreciation of the arts by producing exhibitions; spread the recycling message and environmental appreciation by using recycled technology in the creation of ReTech art; expose individuals and groups of all ages to art; encourage individuals and groups of all ages to develop their artistic skills and afford them an opportunity to display work they have created; develop self-esteem, and personal and community responsibility using art; fund these programs by soliciting contributions of money and services from groups, institutions, and organizations, and by obtaining grants from government, foundation and/or other public or quasi-public agencies.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Art materials (In 2004, ReTech utilized tons of reusable materials as part of 70 workshops; taught 1800 students the values of developing their own creative expression as well as the value of rethinking the potential of materials they once thought of as waste).

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
PSFE (Public Service/ Free Exchange). Dependent upon donations of materials and money, and procurement of grants.

Other Relevant Information:
Art B4 5 refers to the incredible artwork being produced in the ReTech Art Program by three- and four-year olds. The capacity of preschool aged children to use and integrate a variety of materials in creating art objects is vast and deep. As Erik Wood, artist/instructor and founder of the ReTech Art Program, has said, "I don't teach art-what the children don't know. Rather I encourage them to express themselves by using an art form that has a rich variety of tools and materials from which to choose..." The work has been heralded by parents, teachers, art educators and art critics alike, and is representative of activities that are available to children in quality preschool programs. It verifies the research on brain development and underscores the great importance of early education.

Sources of Information:
ReTech, Inc. Website
http://www.retechkids.org
Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Set Recycling Hotline

Contact Information for Exchange:
Julia Rubin, Program Director
setrecyclinghotline@yahoo.com
212-673-6343 (Tel)

Website for Exchange:
None listed.

History & Background of Exchange:
The Set Recycling Hotline (SRH), a program of Performing Arts Resource, is an innovative means of encouraging the reuse of theatrical resources. Companies and individuals in the performing arts, television, and film industries wanting to dispose of scenic elements such as flats, platforms, props, theatrical equipment such as audio/video and lighting, and raw materials such as lumber, can call the Set Recycling Hotline to list their items as available for donation. Non-profits interested in obtaining such items, free-of-charge, can call SRH to register their needs and acquire information on the listed items.

Mission of Exchange:
The Set Recycling Hotline is dedicated to the concept of diverting reusable theatrical resources from the landfill, while benefiting NYC's non-profit theatre community at the same time.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Theatrical equipment, scenery, props, raw materials, and supplies (In 2004, SRH diverted over a ton of materials from the landfills and assisted nearly a hundred nonprofits in acquiring items necessary for NYC's non-profit theatre community to thrive).

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/ Free Exchange (PSFE). All services are free of charge.

Sources of Information:
Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Storehouse NY

Contact Information for Exchange:
Luis Jimenez, Director
lujimene@worldvision.org
90 East 136^th Street
Bronx, NY 10454
718-292-5600 (Tel) 718-292-5850 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.worldvision.org/newyork

History & Background of Exchange:
Since 1996, Storehouse NY (SHNY) has been collecting a wide variety of new and surplus materials, such as clothing, building materials, school and office furniture, and educational materials from regional businesses, then distributing them free-of-charge to community partners working with children and families. The community store helps meet basic needs for children and families by offering donated, high-quality goods to revitalize neighborhoods and sustain families for a hope-filled future. Local churches, schools, and community groups distribute the items to families in need.

Mission of Exchange:
Storehouse NY (SHNY), program of the Christian relief and development organization, World Vision, is dedicated to helping children and their communities reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. As part of the larger organizational mission, the Storehouse serves the poor in the NYC metro area, regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety (In 2004, SHNY diverted around 800 tons of reusable materials to over 120,000 families, 75,000 students, and 300 teachers in New York City; in 2003, about 1.2 million people received warm clothing, building supplies, or school supplies through the Storehouse.)

Business Model for Exchange:
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).

Collection of Fees:
Public Service/ Free Exchange (PSFE).

Other Relevant Information:
Storehouse NY tries to meet the following objectives: (a) providing families with clothing, toys, household goods, and personal care items; (b) offering school supplies for teachers in low-income schools, from pencils and paper to books and backpacks; (c) supplying building materials to renovate apartments and homes into safe, healthy living spaces for families; and (d) partnering with corporations, which benefit from additional tax deductions, increased warehouse space, and positive public relations by donating product.

Sources of Information:
Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Tools for Schools

Contact Information for Exchange:
Janice Hepburn, Director
Tools4schools@earthlink.net
1916 Park Avenue, Room 504
New York, NY 10037
646-548-9675 (Tel) 646-548-9752 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.toolsforschoolssolutions.org

History & Background of Exchange:
In 1992, a one-time company initiative was cultivated among about 4000 employees for recycling office supplies, moving from a nascent concept to a fully-functional recycling program in 1993, based on 20 volunteers and geared toward the redistribution of office supplies. In 2000 the founder, Janice Hepburn, began working on a full-time basis to address communities in need, creating Tools 4 Schools, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, dependent on grants and donations for funding. The organization was set up to facilitate recycling office material and getting it into schools.

Tools for Schools collects and redistributes donated office furniture and equipment, accepting chairs, conference tables, sofas, desks, bookcases, file cabinets, computers, fax machines, scanners, and more, then offers these essential materials to organizations working on tight budgets, including schools and non-profits.

1. Redistribute used office furniture, computers and supplies to address the pervasive needs of cash-strapped public schools, and community based non-profits around New York City.
2. Offer companies a constructive, cost-effective and environmentally responsible alternative to discarding excess reusable materials.
3. Enhance the educational and training environment of schools. Community based non-profits and after-school programs.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Office Equipment and Furnishings (In 2004, TFS diverted around 200 tons of these items from disposal in landfills.)

Business Model for Exchange:
NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)

Collection of Fees:
Charge for covering the costs of exchanging products (CFP); Public Service (PS). Donation for arranging pickup.

Other Relevant Information:
Tools 4 Schools (and other Non-Profits) works to identify and evaluate the needs for furniture, computers, and supplies, to secure donations of surplus materials from corporations, and to distribute the items to the organizations in need.

We see the "idle assets" of a business as a "tool" to create pathways to discover new skills and knowledge. We train people to manage our day-to-day operations thereby offering a hands-on experience in an office environment. They experience extensive client contact over the phone and in person, filing, computer work in Word and Excel, and recordkeeping.

School readiness, teen pregnancy and substance abuse are areas that are addressed through increasing self-esteem, communication skills and pride in one's work.

Sources of Information:
Tools for Schools Website:
http://www.toolsforschoolssolutions.org

Reuse Alliance Member Profiles (March 2005)
http://www.reusealliance.net

INFORMATION CARD

Name of Materials Exchange:
Vermont Business Materials Exchange

Contact Information for Exchange:
Carolyn Grodinsky, Waste Prevention Coordinator
carolyn.grodinsky@state.vt.us
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Department of Environmental Conservation
Waste Division, Waste Prevention Section
103 South Main Street, West Office Building
Waterbury, VT 05671-0404
802-241-3477 (Tel) 802-241-3296 (Fax)
The Vermont Business Materials Exchange
manager@VBMX.org
1580 Barber Pond Road
Pownal, VT 05261
802-823-9399; 800-895-1930 (Tel) 802-823-5228 (Fax)

Website for Exchange:
http://www.vbmx.org

History & Background of Exchange:
Two divisions within the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Environmental Assistance Division (EAD) and the Waste Management Division (WM) plan and manage the state waste reduction programs. The Recycling Section, within the Waste Management Division, works with state agencies, businesses, municipalities and others to identify effective and economical ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle wastes. The Solid Waste Program oversees laws, rules, policies, and planning related to solid waste management in the state, and also provides solid waste technical and financial assistance to towns and solid waste districts. The Environmental Assistance Division provides a non-regulatory focus, one of technical assistance and education, working with businesses, communities, state agencies, and others to identify effective and economical ways to reduce waste at the source, or to recycle waste once it's generated in order to avoid waste treatment and disposal costs and to safeguard human health and the environment.

The Vermont Business Materials Exchange (VBMX) was developed in conjunction with Vermont's source reduction programs. Sponsored by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, the VBMX maintains a database of available and wanted materials, emphasizing that "waste is a misplaced resource." Monthly publication of featured listings by the Vermont Business Magazine helps to promote usage of the Exchange. Sponsors of the Website have included Internet Support Service, Inc. (present), and the American Plastics Council (past).

Mission of Exchange:
The Vermont Business Materials Exchange (VBMX) is a free service that seeks to reduce waste by promoting the exchange of reusable commercial materials. Through VBMX, companies with surplus or by-product materials connect with other businesses or individuals who can reuse these materials productively. While businesses save money on disposal fees, they also reduce their impact on the environment.

Types of Materials Handled by Exchange:
Variety of Commercial Materials (At present, there are more than 600 active listings, and the exchange is rapidly growing; going forward, interactive and dynamic reporting of Exchange statistics will include tracking of Website activity)

Business Model for Exchange:
GNGO (Government/ Non-Governmental Organization Partnership)
Government contract issued for management, with bid every two years. Most funding provided by contractor, with additional in-kind services.

Collection of Fees:
PSFE (Public Service/ Free Exchange); RW (Waste Reduction Program). Presently, free service; membership required, but plans exist to begin charging for "services" listings, and possibly charging fees for listings on the exchange.

Other Relevant Information:
Plans for Fall 2005: Development of audio and video PSAs about the exchange.
Plans for FY 2005-2006: Distribution of audio and video PSAs of the exchange; speaking tour at Rotary Clubs and other business and trade organizations.

Sources of Information:
Vermont Business Materials Exchange Website:
http://www.vbmex.org

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APPENDIX III: SAMPLE COMPUTER-GENERATED BROCHURES

Brochures can easily be created with Microsoft software, e.g., using Publisher, or even Word (set up text in columns). One can import photographs, cartoons, or artist's sketches to illustrate the brochures or pamphlets. A variety of paper choices can be purchased from paper suppliers at a reasonable cost (the paper comes prefolded and is easy to fold after printing. We have provided a few examples of what can be done, but in reality, the choices are endless. The best advantage to creating your own marketing materials is that you can print small amounts as needed, and change the content whenever desirable. If your office does not have a color printer, commercial copy centers like Staples or Kinko's will usually print small jobs directly from disk on the paper of your choice. For Exchanges that need large quantities of advertising materials or informational brochures, then using a commercial printer may be more desirable, although usually more expensive. We have included two environmentally oriented brochures as samples.

Select Brochure to View a Larger Version

Center for Sustainable Business Practices
LIPA Green Choice Program

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APPENDIX IV: SAMPLE PRESS RELEASES

SAMPLE NEWS STORY

Bushwick Observer, May 2001 (Condensed version)
"Non-Profit Tools for Schools Seeks Bushwick Volunteers"

In the wake of budget cutbacks, members of Tools for Schools are hastening to assure teachers in need that there is still a place in the neighborhood where they can receive supplies.

Tools for Schools (TFS) is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by Janice Hepburn was working for a Fortune 500 corporation...setting up a network within the company to collect material that would otherwise have been thrown away and completely wasted...By this time, Ms. Hepburn saw the potential value not only of recycling office material but of getting it into schools. After seriously considering her options and risks, she left her job..."Teachers have compromised themselves into believing this is how it has to be, that insufficient chairs, and broken file cabinets are the norm," said Ms. Hepburn. "We're changing that."

TFS has provided the valuable service of providing used office furniture and computers to schools and not-for-profit organizations in need. While the program has expanded and changed over the years, its core mission has remained the same, to create constructive alternatives to throwing out excess reusables...

Last Fall,...Public School 145 effectively coordinated the donation of 16 file cabinets on a Saturday. With the help of volunteers, all files were put in place and it was business as usual on Monday. Tools for Schools has also helped PS 45, PS 106, IS 111, PS 123, PS 145, PS 151, IS 383, and PS 384 (in this particular community).

As a not-for-profit organization the program relies on donations and fundraisers to keep its doors open and volunteers to get the job done...To volunteer or for more information about the program, call (718) 836 7129.

Samples of different formats used for press releases are included in the following pages, including one prepared by the National Recycling Coalition in conjunction with a collaborative project, one prepared by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and a template that can be utilized with the Exchange's letterhead. For detailed instructions on how to prepare and distribute a press release, see The Zero Waste website (http://www.grrn.org/zerowaste/kit/event/press_release.html). The website also links to some additional sample press releases.

APPENDIX V: SUCCESS STORIES FOR MATERIALS EXCHANGES

Furnish a Future Exchange
Minwax®, Inc.
In celebration of its 100^th Anniversary, Minwax® teamed up with "Furnish A Future", a branch of The Partnership for the Homeless in New York City. The organization provides free furniture to families moving out of homeless shelters and into permanent housing. Minwax® contributed by making a large furniture donation and conducting a how-to workshop.

The event was part of Minwax®'s efforts to give back to the community through its Do Good With Wood™ campaign. It was a great success as evidenced by the enthusiasm of the workshop participants and the gratitude of the Furnish a Future staff. And, the event was covered by local media including The Daily News newspaper and ABC Eyewitness News television.

Each year, Minwax® creates beautiful furniture for TV commercials, print ads and custom publications. Over the past several years, the company accumulated a truckload of tables, chairs, dressers, and more. On June 15th, the furniture was taken out of storage and delivered to the Furnish A Future warehouse in Brooklyn, N.Y. Members of the Minwax® marketing team and Furnish a Future volunteers were there to lend a hand.

That same day, Minwax® expert Bruce Johnson, led a wood finishing workshop for the volunteers and some individuals who've been helped by The Partnership. He demonstrated how to touch up furniture that has scratches and other minor damage. Additionally, the group learned how to stain and finish wood. Minwax® provided unfinished oak chests that the class finished with Water-Based stains in a variety of decorator colors. When they were done, the students had brand-new dressers to take home.

The Hudson Valley Materials Exchange
Phillips Components, Saugerties, Ulster, NY
Phillips Components manufactures ferrite for telecommunications and automotive applications to specifications and shipped out to customers. Those that do not meet specifications are sent to the HVME. The materials available from Phillips are manufacturing by-products and packing materials. One material, called FINES POWDER, is used as an additive for Portland cement. Other materials include shredded paper and sheets of cardboard laminated to foam that is used for packing. Refractory materials of use to potters are also available. These include bricks, Carborundum kiln shelves and electric kilns.

Vulcan Northeast Loose-leaf, Saugerties, Ulster, NY
Northeast Loose-leaf manufactures custom loose-leaf binders with vinyl, cloth or leather covers. The binders have cardboard cores and are screen-printed or embossed with the customer's logo. Materials that Northeast Loose-leaf offers are: 1/2 inch wide strips of book board trimmed from large sheets, bales of vinyl strips trimmed from around the edges of the completed binders (all colors), binder ring units which are separate from the covers, and large sheets of heavy waterproof vinyl, both clear and colored.

EG&G Rotron , Saugerties, Ulster, NY
Rotron makes blowers for moving air. Two of the applications for these blowers are: to bubble air through water to keep it from freezing, and to blow the skin off of duck carcasses for preparation of Peking duck! The machines' moving parts are made from cast aluminum, but the machines are still heavy enough that they must be bolted to a piece of chipboard for shipping. This shipping material, as well as the box that covers the motor casing, is part of the waste at Rotron. Each of these motors produces heat when in use, so the outer housing is protected with 1-inch thick fiberglass insulation. The circles of fiberglass that are punched out to accommodate the fan are another waste product.

Simulaids , Woodstock, Ulster, NY
The motto at Simulaids is WE SAVE LIVES. This is a factory that makes mannequins for safety and medical training. They are realistically molded of vinyl. Some mannequins are used for drowning rescue training. These are weighted with scraps of the same vinyl that forms the skin. If a mannequin is flawed when removed from its mold, rather then throw it away, the vinyl is put through a special grinder which produces pieces small enough to pour into another mannequin to add weight. This accomplishes two objectives: first, it provides the rescue worker with a realistic experience when removing a weighted mannequin from the water, and second, it uses a waste material on-site. Surplus chopped vinyl is occasionally available at the Exchange. One of the styles of mannequin is for practicing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These are equipped with replaceable plastic bags that function as the lungs. These plastic bags can sometimes be found at the HVME.

Woodstock Percussion , West Hurley, Ulster, NY
Woodstock Percussion makes wind chimes and percussion instruments. Their most well-known product is a chime of aluminum tubing which hang from wooden discs. The irregular discs of various sizes are at the HVME warehouse. Each chime needs an object, called a feather, to catch the wind and cause the chimes to ring. These feathers are also available at the HVME. Some are plain wooden shapes and some are in the shapes of hummingbirds or other decorative motifs for custom chimes. The decorative elements arrive individually packed in rice paper boxes from China, which are then sent to the HVME. Wooden parts are coated in varnish and tumbled in a medium of wooden bits which, when thickly coated in varnish, are unusable. These smooth, shiny small wooden shapes are sent by the barrelful to the warehouse.

Stucki Embroidery, Boiceville, Ulster, NY
Stucki Embroidery manufactures iron-on patches, emblems, and embroidered yard goods such as the stars that go onto American flags. All of these involve the stitching of enormous amounts of thread onto a background fabric. As a result, Stucki accumulates large amounts of cardboard cones that hold thread and cardboard cores that come inside bolts of cloth. These are available at HVME. Lengths of fabric that do not reach the 15-yard length of the embroidery machines are not used and are sent to the Exchange as well. Some of this is flag material, blue with white stars; some is plain, and the rest is variously colored with intricate patterns. The last material that Stucki offers is a product of the embroidery technology. A roll of heavy punched paper, similar to the rolls that operate a player piano guides the machines. As the holes are punched they drop into a bin resulting in a green, confetti-type material.

Emsig Buttons, Hudson, Ulster, NY
Across from the landfill in Hudson, New York, is the Emsig Button Factory, the largest button manufacturer in the United States. Emsig has been making polyester resin buttons since the 1940's, specializing in imitation pearl buttons. These buttons are formed with several layers of smooth color which allow light to pass through in different amounts, and the result looks like the button has been cut from the inner side of a shell. Imitation pearl buttons contained lead until the 1960's when the founder, Mr. Emsig, developed a lead-free process. All Emsig buttons are inspected twice before being sold to clothing manufacturers and buttons that do not pass inspection are trucked to HVME. Emsig produces 60 cubic yards of waste per week.

Alcar, Newburgh, Orange, NJ
Alcar manufactures twist tie wire. The Exchange collects the surplus twist tie wire, coated and uncoated, as well as the off-cut plastic coating for the wire which comes in a variety of bright colors.

Dyno Nobel,Port Ewen, Ulster, NY
This company manufactures fireworks and explosives. Their rubber hose (surplus detonator) and cardboard sliding cylinders are two materials donated by this company.

Shapiros Coffee Roasters, Pleasant Valley, Dutchess, NY
The Exchange takes a percentage of the burlap bags that the coffee beans are shipped in.

Newburgh Yarn Mills, Newburgh, Orange, NY
Run by the Drennan Family for over 60 years, the Newburgh Yarn Mills closed shop in 1998. Located on Broadway across from the famous Strooks clothing store, when they closed the factory, the building was demolished. The Exchange removed a thousand each of leather bobbins and antique wooden spools (which were removed directly from the ancient spinning machines). Also collected were a tractor-trailer load of yarn, carts and antique wooded conveyor belts.

The Maine Materials Exchange:
Erda, Inc.
Erda is a small manufacturing company in central Maine, specializing in deerskin handbags, with a minor business in recycled products. For years, people suggested to Erda that the bags would look best stuffed with soft plastic bags, but Erda was unwilling to use new plastic that way. Then they discovered that Guilford Industries had lots of plastic bags that needed a home. Erda bought a truckload of the plastic bags, and found the plastic did indeed make the handbags look great. Fortunately for the environment (but unfortunately for Erda), Guilford has begun to re-use their plastic bags, so Erda needed to find another source. One source was located, but it is in New York State, so shipping is going to be cost-prohibitive. Erda receives quarterly lists from the Industrial Materials Exchange (IMEX) in Seattle and finds that seeing what others are discarding is a way to find inspiration to create products using the by-products of other manufacturers higher up in the food chain. Shipping costs all the way across the country made it prohibitive, though. Recently Erda saw some closed-cell foam rubber gasket material that intrigued me, and came up with an idea to use it and some used clothing at the local Goodwill to make journal covers. The pockets of the used jeans are very useful for holding pencils, pens, calculators, candy bars, glasses, cell phones! The gasket material is sticky on one side, making it ideal to attach the jeans.

• A manufacturer sold 55 tons of byproduct aluminum oxide.
• A manufacturer regularly sells 100 polyfiber supersacks to another business. The bags had previously been thrown in the trash.
• A food manufacturer sells 1,000 used plastic buckets every month to a business that converts them into biohazard waste containers.
• A commercial greenhouse bought five used, 20,000 gallon fuel storage tanks from a business that needed to liquidate surplus property.
• A glass processor ships its product in misprinted boxes which cost 40% less than new boxes.
• A town sent over 7 tons of used school furniture to the Carribean for reuse in schools there.
• A business received over 30 tons of unused samples of roofing shingles.

Materials for the Arts
Ellen Stewart, Artistic Director/Founder, La MaMa E.T.C.
"We appreciate every bit of your contributions toward our survival. Your gifts, your energy, your love enable us to be."

Kathleeen Laziza, Director, The Micro Museum PAWI/ Promote Art Works, Inc.
"The Museum estimates that MFTA contributes 40% to our annual art production and educational programs, and is one of the reasons we have decided to stay in NYC. Artists are served immeasurably for easy access to quality materials, the public is enchanted by the results of that artistic work, and NYC's environment is healthier for everyone. Keep up the good work! We love MFTA!"

Rome Neal, Artistic Director, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
"Materials for the Arts is a godsend. One of the cities true treasures in more ways than one."

Tom Finklepearl, Director, Queens Museum of Art
"MFTA is a huge resource. Their move (to Long Island City) will benefit all the organizations here and they are helping to break the psychological barrier that art only thrives in Manhattan."

Per Scholas Materials Exchange:
Norwalk Community College's Recycle Program Helps to Close the Digital Divide
The Advocate, August 2001
Incoming freshman at NCC have the opportunity to buy a computer refurbished by technicians at Per Scholas. Having a computer at home makes a student's life much easier." This is for anyone left behind the computer revolution," said Peter Beutel, lab spokesperson from the college's Center for Information Technology, touting the capabilities of the refurbished computers. This program was the recipient of the 2001 Governor's Waste Reduction and Recycling Program Innovation Award.
This award recognizes the efforts of effective businesses, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, environmental groups, and individuals who reduce solid waste through their use of source reduction, reuse or recycling programs.

Rhode Island ResourceXchange
Sherwin Williams Paint Co.
The Sherwin Williams Paint Company is contributing large quantities of discontinued or outdated paint cans to be made available to non-profit users.

Bryant University
Bryant University has transferred three dormitory's worth of furnishings to a non-profit organization (Hope of Life/Food for the Poor) that will distribute the materials to orphanages in Nicaragua, San Salvador, and Guatemala. This exchange follows other such arrangements with Hope of Life, and the Rhode Island Community Crusade for Children, to send 40,000 pounds of toys, bicycles, old hospital beds, crutches, wheelchairs, household goods, pain, farming materials and clothing.

DeWal Industries
DeWal Industries, a manufacture of polymer films and pressure sensitive tapes, has exchanged 500 20-gallon white barrels to be shipped to Central America as infant bathtubs.

Storehouse NY:
Carolyn Young knew the heartache of having to choose between paying the utility bill or buying clothes for her children. "I felt hopeless," she says. But now Carolyn smiles as she thanks her friend and mentor, Shirley Johnson, who distributes clothes, personal care items, and household goods from The Storehouse of World Vision to help struggling mothers like Carolyn get back on their feet. "My troubles are over," says Carolyn.

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APPENDIX VI: OTHER EXCHANGES AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION

1. Reuse Alliance (NYC) (http://www.reusealliance.net) is a non-profit support organization of, and for reuse enterprises in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization has developed the Master Reuse Program Toolkit.
   
   
2. New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable was conducted in November 1997, by The Cornell Waste Management Institute, and sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 2), on behalf of the New York City Department of Sanitation. The Final Report (Internet Version http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/WastRed/MatlExch.html) was published in February 1998. Selected information on the participating Materials Exchanges mentioned in the Roundtable is listed below, with 2005 updates taken from the Exchange websites.
   
   
3. Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI) was established to address the environmental and social implications associated with waste management by focusing University resources and capabilities on this complex issue. Through research, outreach, and teaching activities, CWMI staff and affiliated researchers and educators work to develop technical solutions to waste management problems and to address broader issues of waste generation and composition, waste reduction, risk management, environmental equity, and public decision making. The focus for such work is on multi-disciplinary projects that integrate research and outreach. (Abstracted from the New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report, February 1998)
   
   
4. California Materials Exchange Program (CALMAX) http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/ is a service provided by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB). This service is designed to help businesses and other organizations reduce the amount of waste materials discarded, and to meet the 1989 state mandated goals of reducing the amount of waste going to landfills. CALMAS also encompasses users in Oregon, Nevada, and Northern Mexico, as well as listings from elsewhere in the U.S., if deemed of benefit to California. (Abstracted from the New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report, February 1998)
   
   
5. Iowa Waste Exchange (http://www.iowalifechanging.com/recycleiowa/exchange.html) is a cooperative effort of Iowa community colleges and councils of governments, solid waste agencies, the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa Department of Economic Development, and the Recycle Iowa Program. A quarterly newsletter ("The Closed Loop") contains "hot" listings and "hard to place" materials. (Abstracted from the New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report, February 1998)
   
   
6. Long Island City Business Development Corporation (LICBDC) operates the Industrial Waste Recycling and Prevention Program (INWRAP), which includes a local non-hazardous Materials Exchange, targeted mainly to small and medium-sized industrial businesses, comprising about 400-500 listings. INWRAP provides technical assistance for recruiting users and listings, and performs tracking, invoicing, and analysis of cost savings. Approximately 30-35% of the funding comes from revenues generated by INWRAP through shared savings payments from participating companies (based on contractual agreements with the companies), along with membership dues from vendors and recipients. LICBDC utilizes a credit network specializing in cash and trade credits offered by the worldwide Chadwick Financial Corporation in exchange for non-performing assets such as unwanted equipment and surplus inventory. INWRAP makes use of internships with the New York Institute of Technology and La Guardia Community College. (Abstracted from the New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report, February 1998)
   
   
7. The Millennium Exchange, Ltd. provides buyers' and sellers' listings for a 13-state area, with about 1000 to 2000 listings. The Millennium Exchange is a private, investor-owned company, which is anticipated to provide active custom match-ups through the Web, e-mail, and Fax. (Abstracted from New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report, February 1998)
   
   
8. Southeast Minnesota Recyclers' Exchange (SEMREX) is part of the statewide exchange network in Minnesota, encompassing five regional materials exchange programs. SEMREX is an organization of counties in the Southeast corner of Minnesota, and has developed an interactive Materials Exchange database that links businesses that have a usable waste material as a resource. SEMREX also provides Cooperative Marketing services to its businesses, free waste evaluations, and assistance to businesses in identifying which waste materials can potentially be reused by others, and which are recyclable through the marketing program. State funds provide for the operation of the clearinghouse for listings from the exchange programs in Minnesota and other states, and a semiannual publication of a "Materials Listing Catalogue." (Abstracted from the New York City Materials Exchange Roundtable Final Report, February 1998)
   
   
9. Southern Waste Information Exchange (SWIX) (http://www.enviroworld.com/SWIX/) is a service of Keep Florida Beautiful, Inc., and Florida State University (FSU). Originally instituted as FWIX (Florida Waste Information Exchange) in 1981, it expanded its service area in 1982 to the southern region of the U.S. in order to improve waste recycling, use, and reuse opportunities for Florida waste generators, as well as to more effectively respond to the many inquiries about Florida's materials from potential clients outside of Florida. The program started with hazardous wastes listings, but since 1993 the shift has been to non-hazardous wastes. All areas of waste exchange are targeted, but the focus is on 12 standard categories of "materials available" and "materials wanted". The promotion of materials exchanges is accomplished through a tri-annual catalogue, a website with links to other Exchanges and environmental agencies, and a toll-free 800 number (1-800-441-7949
   
   
10. New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3) (http://www.nysar3.org) is a professional association in New York, associated with the National Recycling Coalition, and dedicated to waste reduction, materials reuse and recycling. The group provides networking opportunities, a quarterly newsletter, and Councils on Organic and Buy Recycled.
    
    
11. NYCWastele$$ Green Building Projects (http://www.nycwasteless.org) is a New York City Department of Sanitation sponsored website that promotes waste prevention, reuse, and recycling opportunities and resources to NYC residents, government agencies, institutions, and businesses. This online project helps people learn how to save money and create a safer environment through waste reduction, energy efficiency, purchasing less toxic products, and buying recycled materials. The website also focuses on examples of green building projects, "deconstruction" using selective dismantling, private companies' efforts in recycling, and describes types of materials being recycled.
    
    
12. The Restore in Washington State (see "Deconstructing for Dollars"), is a nonprofit building reuse supplier and deconstruction business. From a typical deconstruction project, Restore is able to reuse about 50 percent of the structure, recycle more than 30 percent, which leaves less than 20 percent to be thrown away. The Restore generally sells reusable materials for less than half the price of new products, while earning about $1,000 in revenues for every ton of material harvested.
    
    
13. 6/15 Green (no website, contact by phone at 718-707-1777, x3) is a community garden located in Brooklyn, NY that hosts a public compost site and education program, and distributes educational materials dealing with composting and waste reduction, available in both English and Spanish. 6/15 Green invites and encourages the general public to bring their household compostables to the site. They also offer a membership to a compost club, where participants can access general and technical advice pertaining to backyard composting and vermicomposting (worm composting), and offer group demonstrations for buildings and block parties.
    
    
14. NYC Waste Prevention Coalition (http://www.whywastenyc.org) is a network of organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting waste prevention as the means to solve New York City's solid waste issues. Their mission is carried out through public awareness campaigns, community outreach and education, research and analysis of solid waste problems and waste prevention solutions, and advocating sound public policy that advances waste prevention at the city, state and federal levels.
    
    
15. Virginia By-Products Group (VBG) (website to be created in 2005) was formed through a collaboration of Virginia Manufacturers Association, the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology, and a Richmond company, Environmental Solutions, Inc. Their goal is to help Virginia industries and businesses find better ways to recycle waste materials by establishing a clearinghouse where companies can find potential users for reusable materials.
    
    
16. Reuse Development Organization (ReDO) (http://www.redo.org) is a national and international non-profit organization exclusively focused on promoting reuse on every level. ReDo provides education, training, and technical assistance to start up and operate reuse programs, and is working to create a national reuse network and infrastructure. Local and state governments, non-profit organizations and entrepreneurs can use ReDO's resources. Membership rates are $100 for non-profit organizations and small local governments, and $300 for state/federal government agencies and larger municipalities.
    
    
17. National Recycling Coalition http://www.nrc-recycle.org/default.htm is a nonprofit organization of more than 4,000 individuals, businesses and government agencies involved in all aspects of recycling, waste prevention, reuse and composting. In 2001, the NRC conducted an economic survey of the nation's recycling and reuse industry which is available at http://www.nrc-recycle.org/resources/rei/reihome.htm Also, the NRC has developed The Source Reduction Forum, and has provided a variety of Web-based information tools, available at http://www.nrc-recycle.org/councils/SRF/sourcereduction.htm Reports associated with the Forum include "Making Source Reduction and Reuse Work in Your Community: A Manual for Local Governments" and "Waste Prevention Pay$: A Media OutreachToolkit."
    
    
18. American Plastics Council (APC) (http://www.plasticsresource.com/s_plasticsresource/index.asp ) is a trade organization focused heavily on "green living" approaches, including use of recycled products, reuse of manufactured items, and resource conservation. The website for APC has links to discussions of plastics and resource conservation, electronics recycling and recovery, and maintains a database of buyers and sellers of recycled plastics in partnership with the Environment and Plastics Council in Canada, with 1650 companies http://www.plasticsresource.com/s_plasticsresource/index.asp APC also sponsors source reduction and recycling programs and online materials exchanges.
    
    
19. Recycler's World (http://www.recycle.net/recycle/assn/index.html) provides an alphabetical listing of 554 associations in the field of recycling and reuse, including a large number of trade associations. With website links provided. Recycle.net attempts to bring together people wanting to deal in reusable materials, allowing postings of small or large quantities.
    
    
20. Earth 911 (http://www.earth911.org) seeks to provide the public with resources on a wide array of recycling and environmental topics. Topics can be made more community-specific by entering a zip code into the search engine on the website.
    
    
21. Recycling Today (http://www.recyclingtoday.com) attempts to connect the vast array of businesses involved in recycling and reuse, via classified advertising. All classified ads must be received seven weeks ahead of the publication date.
    
    
22. Zero Waste America ( http://www.zerowasteamerica.org) is a non-profit whose mission is to protect human health and the environment by promoting the recycling of all materials back into nature or the marketplace.
    
    
23. Freecycle.com is a website dedicated to exchanging stuff for free, and allows for the development of localized groups. The sites are easy to use and people easily become attached to "freecycling" with "no strings attached." Fans are often inspired to search out other community-based Websites, such as soldier.com, where soldiers in Iraq request donations. These types of sites represent a "grass-roots" approach to reuse, rather than discarding items as waste. The website estimates that there are currently at least one million Freecycle.com users, and gaining "about 50 groups per week in more than 50 countries" (Zuckerman, 2005).
    
    
24. Local non-profit agencies: In every locale, there are many neighborhood or community non-profit organizations that coordinate donors and recipients of usable materials and equipment. In Rhode Island, some examples are Big Sisters, the Rhode Island Donation Exchange Program, Earthern Vessel, Inc., St. Paul's Thrift Store, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. Most of these organizations will pick up used goods and redistribute them, including furniture, clothing, bedding, towels, accessories, small appliances, toys and home goods. The Rhode Island Community Crusade for Children takes clothes only and maintains bins near supermarkets and public works departments. The Recycling for Rhode Island Education maintains an inventory from which teachers can select what they need.
    
    
25. Center for Strategic Communications, is a non-profit organization helping not-for-profit managers to understand the process of sharing meaningful information and develop their capacity to communicate effectively in support of mission and programs, which includes a 7-step communications planning process.
    
    
26. Green Worker Cooperatives is an umbrella organization located in New York City. Additional information is available at http://groups.msn.com/aaeanewyork/yourwebpage2.msnw
    Contact person: Omar Freilla, omarfreilla@ssbx.org.
    
    
27. The Electronic Industries Alliance, (http://www.eiae.org), has a listing on their web site entitled "National Reuse and Recycle Opportunities" that is notated by state (available at http://www.eiae.org/reuse_recycle/national_index.cfm ). Additionally, this same web page has a link for users to "Let us know" about other reuse organizations or collection programs "in your area." This might provide another opportunity for cross-listing of Exchange web sites.
    
    
28. The Institution Recycling Network, located at 7 South State Street, Suite 2, Concord, NH (Tel: 603-229-1962), offers a comprehensive program for the management and donation of surplus property. IRN can facilitate the donation and reuse of almost all hospital surplus, including medical supplies, equipment, furnishings (for patient comfort, rooms, and offices), along with miscellaneous reception area and cafeteria components. Services of IRN include pickup and management of large quantities of surplus from hospital loading areas, full-service cleanouts of storage and warehouse spaces, and move-outs of hospital rooms, wings or floors, and medical suites. IRN operates on the hierarchy of "Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle" and diverts over 98% of materials from cleanouts, with over 90% to donation, and the rest to recycling.
    
    
29. Donation Networks (http://donationnetworks.org/) is a non-profit organization that services schools and non-profit organizations across New Hampshire and beyond, strives to help businesses and institutions re-channel their used computer equipment, office equipment and supplies for arts and crafts, etc. to institutions where they can be used. Donation Networks maintains two warehouse locations in Nashua and Manchester, and has served over 250 non-profit organizations in the fields of community services, education, and job training. Beneficiary organizations are required to register with Donation Networks, but 99% of products are free, with only a few items that have "handling fees".
    
    
30. Grassroots Recycling Network (GRRN) (http://www.grrn.org) is focused on all aspects of recycling, including reuse and Materials Exchange programs. The Zero Waste Program ("beyond recycling") is a major campaign effort, including training for non-profits to establish media events to showcase local Zero Waste Programs. (See "Media Event Checklist" on the web site). The GRRN web site also features the GreenYes discussion list, including maintenance of Archives that preserves the discussions.
    

APPENDIX VII: TEMPLATES FOR INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTIONS

The following descriptions of internships, derived from different sources, provide templates that could be utilized by Exchanges in requesting interns from academic institutions or from specialized web sites, such as the Environmental Careers Organization (ECO). Exchanges could utilize the ECO guidelines for descriptions of internships (Sponsor, Description, Specific Tasks, Qualifications, Terms, and Contact). Each printout includes the web site URL for easy access.

Additional web sites that are designed to match interns with internship opportunities include the following options. Most of these interactive web sites provide free services for non-profit organizations, some are free for students, and some of the listing services have a fee attached.