“Buffalo hardly knows the gems she holds in her hand”–I keep thinking that as I continue to meet people here. We recently met artist and architect, Karen Tashjian. Karen enthusiastically agreed to jump in to interpret and develop the vision we have for the ReSource as a destination.
A destination is a place you bring people–it’s a space you want to show off to the world! You may already know that we will work continuously to make the ReSource a hub for educating the community about ecological sustainability and modeling environmental stewardship through rain harvesting, community composting, creative reuse, recycling and energy efficiency, but we want there to be play too. A destination is a fun place to go to work! I can hardly wait. You can be a part of it.

We invite you to come this Friday and Saturday to celebrate the ReSource’s Grand Opening. Friday night, there will be a special toast given by Paul T. Hogan of The Oishei Foundation, an organization that has given us tremendous support. We’ll also have a symbolic “Breaking Down the Door” ceremony and lots of mingling, tours and dancing. We’ll show you, as best we can, our dream for the space.

The drawings here are a little teaser from Karen’s plan for the new staircase–which you won’t be able to take your eyes off! Plus a few of her thoughts as well, “The Grande Stair connecting the main showroom to the offices, conference area, community room, and study spaces on the second floor was conceptualized as having a theatrical quality, reminiscent of a grande opera. It would be enchanting in general, and fun for kids, especially. The landing is extended to create a cozy reading loft that overlooks the showroom below and includes a quilted, reading bathtub. Other reading nooks are built into various landings and platforms so that kids can find enticing places to curl up with a book.
The ultimate goal is to make this fun and magical and use all reclaimed building materials. It is essential to the future that we learn to use old materials to make wonderful things which solve everyday problems.”

Want to see the rest of it? You’ll have to come Friday night from 6-8pm–and you can even meet Karen and her family. Stick around after 8pm for some dancing–Emcee Sick will play (jazz and other) records until midnight!
Refreshments will catered by Baker Victory Service’s WAY Program.

If you have other plans Friday (break them) or come out Saturday for the Open House, we’ve invited collaborators, neighbors and YOU to join us for some shenanigans like deconstructing a car, a scavenger hunt, recycling games, a bubble tunnel, a bicycle clinic and food off the grill! 2 folk bands–Red & Roxy and Flatbed will perform from noon to 4pm–but we’ll be up and at it from 7:30-5pm.

Please join Buffalo ReUse for our Special Preview Reception for the Grand Opening of the ReSource.
The ReSource is our permanent home and “reuse retail destination”
for community, ecological sustainability, and education.
Friday, May 16, 2008
6-8pm
A special toast will be given by Paul T. Hogan,
Vice President of The John R. Oishei Foundation at 7pm
Immediately followed by a
Knocking Down the Door Ceremony
(our version of a ribbon cutting)
Light refreshments catered by Baker Victory Services WAY Program

Entertainment provided by Emcee Sick
(bring your boogie shoes; we’ll dance ’til midnight)

We will screen our feature episode from
The Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet

We look forward to sharing more about our mission and purpose
in revitalizing neighborhoods and educating young adults.

then, in the morning . . .

Saturday, May 17th come out for our Open House & Grand Opening!

We’ve invited friends and neighbors to share this special laid back event
Surprises & shenanigans throughout the day!

Tour the ReSource, see plans for the stairs,
Participate in special exhibits like worm farming, sun-baked cookies,
green roofs, the bike clinic, and the bubble tunnel

Live music by Red and Roxy . . . and Flatbed.
They are good friends and a great band that were just featured on
WBFO’s live at Allen Hall series

grilled hotdogs, veggie dogs, and corn!

Here is an entry from Tamara about ReTREE this past weekend!

Equipped with shovels, rakes, stakes, 10lb stake pounders, bellies topped with doughnuts (thank you Mary and Bruce Beyer for that donation from Mazureks) and coffee (tsk tsk Spot), and hearts loaded with ambition over 20 volunteers took to the streets searching for freshly dug holes just waiting to provide earthy homes for baby foliage.  The inspiration for this latest community endeavor was sparked by the ReTREE WNY initiative, which was formed in response to the devastating loss of area trees after the October 2006 snowstorm.  ReTREE has a goal of planting 3,000 trees over the next 5 years and, if my achy shoulders are any indication, ReUse did its part on May 3.

We divided into several little teams within a handful of street teams.  Each volunteer was steadfast and relentless in getting the job of planting almost 150 trees into their new spot.  Locations for each tree were mapped out via the city’s determination of what fit best where and a mini-training session ensured that we knew the proper steps for getting those babies nested.  I learned a great deal about what it takes to keep trees happy and safe.  I also learned that Buffalo is a city brimming with clay (which, in excess, does not make trees happy) and that wet clay is H-E-A-V-Y clay!   Fortunately, we didn’t have to dig holes by hand (a scary assumption) as Michael had already taken care of this step with a skidsteer and auger attachment. Nevertheless, holes not deep or wide enough to accommodate the roots required plenty of muscle.  It seemed most teams quickly fell into a steady rhythm and individual roles—snip twine, free roots, measure/alter hole, cover roots, add tree cocktail, stake to secure, admire…next!

Except for the final couple hours of steady, cold rain making the tools slippery and turning regular boots into muddy clown shoes, the day was perfect for planting trees!  Cool and cloudy enough to whisk away sweat and ending with a steady drizzle that immediately nourished our thirsty tree roots.  Caesandra said it would be a 9 am - 3 pm event and at 2:58 pm the crew returned to our ReSource home base for a potluck picnic and hot dog debate and eating of Michael’s Mom’s taco salad and stuffing of Tysha’s Mom’s tortellini kabobs!  Finally, after the last rice-krispie treat was devoured, bathtubs and couches across the city called each of us home.  I slept very well that night!

Here’s an entry from Nicole Bzibziak about volunteering with us in boarding up the vacant house that Karen Chiodo and Rachel Lyons classes from BAVPA adopted during the Neighborhood Peace Mural Project. This was from Saturday, April 12th, but we got so caught up with our subsequent projects, we hadn’t had a chance to document it for the blog–Thanks Nicole!
(click on the photos for more images)

I was excited to wake up the day of the board-up on Woodlawn Ave. It was my first experience as a volunteer with Buffalo ReUse and I had heard so many positive things from others; I knew it was going to be a great day. My fellow classmates joined in as part of MBA Jesuit Care Day to help. At first, I felt a little out of my element with a crow bar in-hand instead of my usual notebook and financial calculator for class but I was able to dive right into tearing off the drab gray boards that were covering the house. A group of us chose a window and began the process of making this vacant house look like a piece of art. Once those drab gray boards were free our team worked to cut one mural panel just enough so it would fit over the window we were working on. One by one, we took turns climbing the ladder and nailing the board secure. Climbing the ladder was so fun and provided a great view for shorter people like me! This was a little challenging for me as it had been a while since I used a hammer and nails. After hitting my thumb a few times I became quite good at getting the nails in. When we completed the first window our excitement heightened and we scurried to the next. Our efficient modus operandi was also due to the cold weather setting in and we wanted to keep our fingers warm. It was great to see the house take on a new look and it definitely caught the attention of passers by. When we finished I still had so much energy. Our group had done so much but I felt like I had more. I’m sure there will be other opportunities soon! It was an experience I shared with everyone I came into contact that weekend and urge people to cruise by and see the students’ artwork.

We continue to look for houses near the schools that painted the mural panels; if you can help identify property owners interested in letting us secure their vacant house, please contact us at 716-885-4131

Buffalo ReUse Announced As Finalist for Global Award

The Urban Land Institute and the Financial Times cite Buffalo ReUse as one of 20 finalists for 2008 FT ULI Sustainable Cities Award

(BUFFALO) – The Financial Times and the Urban Land Institute have selected Buffalo ReUse as one of 20 finalists for the 2008 FT ULI Sustainable Cities Award based on nominations received from around the world. Buffalo ReUse was nominated for this award by Assemblymember Sam Hoyt and Ciminelli Development.

“It is a great honor to be a finalist for this international award, and I hope that it brings greater attention to the potential for waste diversion, job creation, young adult training and mentoring, community building, and blight reduction made possible through deconstruction,” said Michael Gainer, Buffalo ReUse Executive Director.

The FT ULI Sustainable Cities Award recognizes innovative programs that address land use issues that are both environmentally conscious and globally relevant.

“Buffalo ReUse should serve as a model for other communities to reduce waste dumped in our landfills, to employ young adults from our inner city, and to work with community members to make neighborhoods greener, which is why I nominated the organization for this award,” said New York State Assemblymember Sam Hoyt.

The FT ULI Sustainable Cities Awards will be announced in London on June 16, 2008.

Buffalo ReUse is a not-for-profit organization committed to developing the practice of deconstruction to serve as a vehicle for job creation, building materials reclamation, and community development.

Special thanks to Sam Hoyt and Teresa Glanowski for nominating us for the award!

and . . . [drumroll please]

We just opened up a letter that announced Buffalo ReUse, Inc. is now an OFFICIALLY verified 501c3 organization with the federal government. My niece, Hadley, expresses our excitement best!

(formerly known as Moonlit Volunteering) has been reinstated!
starting Wednesday May 7th
Michael wants to focus all efforts on the ReSource and getting it fabulous for the Grand Opening Festivities–on the 16th and the 17th. The work involves painting, arranging displays, putting store shelving and palette racks together, loading the shelves with inventory, finishing up that spindle decoding, making signage for the store departments and general cleaning + we can’t forget to leave room for the dance floor–yeah, that’s right, I said DANCE FLOOR!

One night we’ll also canvas the neighborhood with coupons to invite people to the Grand Openings. If you can help in other ways–like sharing your connections for cheap (free?) beverages, hot dogs and veggie dogs, buns, charcoal, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, ranch dressing (trust me, it’s good) let us know.

So, if you have an evening with nothing to do–come to 298 Northampton and grab a paint brush or a pricing gun! We’ll be there from 7:30am-9pm. If you want to call first, that’s fine–716-882-2800

Can you imagine people sitting in a field of picnic blankets beneath a canopy of white and pink petaled trees? You notice the people are all enjoying food, cookies, laughter and . . . sake? It is one of my fondest memories from my assignment in Japan. Each Spring we would organize a bus load of “dorm rats” (that’s what they called all the young airmen that lived in the dormitories) to roadtrip up to the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. The trick is to bring a blanket and things to trade: American beer, candy and snack foods, bologna sandwiches, fried chicken and maybe a guitar or harmonica. You just stroll around the park, eat some Japanese festival foods (which are very exotic–Tentacle-on-a-stick anyone?), or paddle in a canoe through a sea of pink and white petals. Maybe the most amusing part is to sit with the Japanese locals (who are also mostly tourists too) and swap food and drink and shenanigans with them. Just like Americans, Japanese are shy until they’re a little tipsey! But I once traded a ham sandwich for a fried crab–not a crab leg, but a whole battered and deep-fried crab! We would go smiling from blanket to blanket making tiny deals and friendships.

When I heard about ReTREE WNY from Justin Booth, I thought it might be wonderful to duplicate that kind of annual celebration of nature and community. Maybe I got a little carried away–we registered to plant 143 ornamental cherry, lilac, chestnut, hazelnut and dogwood trees on the streets around Cold Spring Neighborhood and nearby. My hope is that in the coming years many people will enjoy seeing the blossoms and strolling in the neighborhood or sitting on a bench eating a sandwich.

Believe me, we definitely want urban orchards–growing apples or cherries or other foods we can consume. Michael wants a sugar maple farm for tapping syrup. Justin warned him it would take 60 years for a sugar maple to mature to the tapping stage. (So, Michael needs to do 2 things–plant some sugar maples yesterday and live to be at least 94!) But we have to start somewhere and ReTREE has given us an opportunity to make a small, but long lasting, quality of life improvement along Woodlawn, Eaton, Northampton, Purdy, Chester, Masten, Utica, Waverly and Glenwood. We’ll be planting trees right around the BAVPA and Bennett Park Montessori too. All the trees are designated for the street sidewalk and come from a list of species approved by the city based on conditions and maintenance.

Naturally, we need help digging and planting and even babysitting these trees this first year.
We will pick up the trees and kits on Friday, May 2nd and sort them based on their pre-approved destination. We will also dig the holes–mostly using an auger attachment.
Saturday, May 3rd we will meet at 298 Northampton at 9am. Then we will pack everyone, their trees and kits into street teams to plant the trees all at once across the neighborhood.
Hopefully, with a lot of helpers, we’ll be done by 3:30pm and we can all regroup back at 298 Northampton to wash up for a potluck picnic and group shoulder rubs!

No matter how old or young or cranky you are–there is a way you can assist this grand scheme. Bring a shovel, iron rake, picks, hand pruners, gloves, your craziest garden hat, a picnic blanket, a dozen of your Aunt Tibbie’s garlic-cheese puffs, a stack of bologna or a jar of sour dills! (You could even bring a meat mallet to tenderize sore muscles). If you can help in any way please contact us at 716.885.4131 or volunteer@buffaloreuse.org or just show up ready to work on May 3rd.

Just imagine how special the streets will be because you came out and spent the day with us.

• Worm composting - easy, fun!

• Build with second-harvest Buffalo ReUse “city hemlock”
  
• Throw away your lawnmower - replace your grass with groundcover.
  
• Get a tankless water heater.
  
• Build a solar hot water booster system for your tankless heater - use that roof.
• Drop off your used or half cans of house paint (and other solvents) to our ReSOURCE; we will redistribute the paint for use on board up materials and neighborhood beautification.
• Call us for pickups of items you’re swapping out or upgrading such as: windows, radiators, water heaters, kitchen appliances, sofas, plumbing fixtures and lighting
• If you want to replace your garage, barn or shed with a garden or pool, call us to deconstruct it so we can recycle, reuse, reduce the quantity of rubble that ends up in the landfill–716-885-4131
  FREE PICK-UPS & ESTIMATES
  
• Buy used high quality doors, tubs, brick, stone, glass block instead of buying less quality new items from box stores that ship those materials all the way from Timbuktu
  CALL THE STORE –716-882-2800
• Volunteer on a Saturday to help transform Buffalo’s vacant lots and brown spaces into thriving micro-parks and gardens–instead of wasting electricity in front of the boobtube watching cartoons!

I was a super huge fan of 10,000 Maniacs in high school, my bff Mare Mare turned me onto them. One of my favorites is the song below. It resounds in my head every time I step outside or think about being outside this time of year because my thoughts are filled with wildflowers and road trips and sun.
I have been eagerly awaiting Spring because here in Buffalo all the daffodils begin to pop up in the parks and along the highways. It reminds me of the wildflowers in Texas; there, the highways are literally blue for long stretches–but it’s fleeting, like the daffodils. As a kid, I was sometimes thrown out of the car to help pick roadside wildflowers or dried pods for my mother’s craft projects–”pull over Pull OVER!” Now, it’s usually me shouting that, but I’m leaping from the car with my camera.

And the main message of that song is of potential and a call to action.  I just think of all the things we have planned for the season and there will be so many opportunities for you to make memories with us and new friendships and little treasures

I love the lyrics, here they are if you want to sing along:
These are the days
These are days you’ll remember
Never before and never since, I promise
Will the whole world be warm as this
And as you feel it,
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you

These are days that you’ll remember
When May is rushing over you
With desire to be part of the miracles
You see in every hour
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you are touched
By something that will grow and bloom in you

These are days
These are the days you might fill
With laughter until you break
These days you might feel
A shaft of light
Make its way across your face
And when you do
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
See the signs and know their meaning
It’s true
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking
To you, to you

p.s. if you want to assist with a project we’re working on–we need specific intel on WNY wildflowers–which are they? and how do we get our grubby paws on a bunch of seeds? I appreciate visuals too.