May 2010 newsletter

Remember, ReBuild now installs hardwood flooring for our customers. With most of the homes that we deconstruct having oak flooring, ReBuild has a constant source of hardwood flooring for you to choose from. Whether you want the classic hardwood flooring look throughout your home or just need a few square feet to replace existing warped or stained floors, ReBuild has the inventory for you to find the exact color and grain you need. ReBuild offers special discounts if you would like us to install, sand, stain and polycoat your purchased hardwood. Stop by and see our wide selection.

Dear ReBuild Friends,

"Spring has sprung!" as the old saying goes. May is a month to honor our Mother and commemorate those who have given their lives to protect and preserve our country. To these revered life-giving and life-preserving heroes in our lives, we should add another -- Mother Earth -- whose rich bounty provides us continued sustenance. But for how much longer? Unless Homo sapiens, particularly those in the developed world, begin to tread more softly on the earth, our way of life, those of our children, and that of a lot of other creatures may soon experience some very radical changes. One thing we can do now is to "repair, reduce, reuse, and recycle" more of the "stuff" we accumulate during home or commercial property building and renovation.

ReBuild can help in two ways. First, you can earn a federal income tax deduction by donating the old or unused building material from the job to The ReBuild Warehouse. Second, on a visit to ReBuild, you may find exactly the right granite countertop, French door, bathroom vanity, or even as small an item as plastic electric junction boxes, 2x4's, and joists. And, don't overlook for your outdoor projects such items as patio pavers, flagstone, granite stones, and brick!!

Proceeds from the warehouse are used to train "hard-to-place" workers in new Green Collar jobs, such as home weatherization, asbestos abatement, deconstruction, and certification as a lead-safe home renovator. Through our workshops, community presentations, and exhibits, we have expanded our mission to include building public awareness on "how to live green affordably." Please join us at one of our regularly scheduled Saturday morning workshops or just come and say "hi" at our booth at one of the many events where we are exhibiting.

ReBuild cannot accomplish all these things without your help. We can use your help in suggesting workshop ideas, teaching a workshop yourself, writing press announcements for these and other forthcoming ReBuild events, identifying nonprofit partners with whom we can work, or providing a myriad of other critically needed skills. Just visit the "Volunteer" page on our website to sign up.

We also need your financial support. For instance, ReBuild now has a permanent leased truck, thanks to DeConstruction Services, LLC. The problem is that it's plain white -- no ReBuild logo or other markings to let the public know who we are as the truck travels about the metro area doing our pickups and deliveries. We have launched a campaign to pay for a truck "wrap" that will serve as a rolling ReBuild billboard. If you would like to see ReBuild's name and our cause -- "ReBuilding Lives and Communities Together" -- more prominently featured around town, won't you consider making a donation today. Just click here to go to ReBuild's website and make a secure donation. We greatly appreciate it!!

Daryl Spencer Paul S. Hughes

President Executive Director

Sales Event

Mother's Day Week Sale at the Warehouse

Mother's Day and Mother Earth's Sale

Ongoing thru Sunday, May 16th

50% off ALL ITEMS IN THE WAREHOUSE* for as long as the merchandise lasts!! We will be getting housefuls of building material donations from several major jobs and must clear out space to accommodate all of it. Drop by and reap the savings!!

* Except hot tub, granite, Merillat pickled maple cabinets, flagstone, and rain barrels.

Memorial Day Weekend Sale -- Friday, May 29^th-Sunday, May 30^th

Check our flyer or website for details later this month. You won't be disappointed!!

New Developments - Stormwater Retention Initiative

If you have visited the warehouse recently, you have probably noticed that ReBuild is now carrying Aquabarrel rain barrels, Part Kits, and accessories that you will need to assemble and install rain barrels on your house. The owner will be presenting a workshop Saturday, May 8^th, along with a "Make and Take" session afterwards for those interested in making their own (see below). Rain barrels are a simple way to conserve water for your garden and landscape plants, as well as providing a way to divert and use stormwater that would otherwise be washed into storm drains taking sediment, fertilizer, oil, and other pollutants directly to the nearest waterway, the Potomac River, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Slightly more than 600 gallons of rainwater will be shed from a 1,000 square foot roof during a one-inch rain. A single rain barrel can capture 55 gallons of that, while four barrels installed on each corner of your house can capture 220 gallons (or about 33%). These can be fitted with soaker hoses and you can deep water your garden and foundation plantings all summer and cut the cost of your water bill.

ReBuild Saturday Workshops

Rebuild 09 Halloween Spooktacular Event Saturday, May 8^th, 11 am

Rain Barrels Made Easy

A 2-hour presentation by Barry Chenkin of Aquabarrel will discuss in the first hour why rainwater retention is important, the various features and types of rain barrel systems, how to calculate amounts of rooftop rainfall to be retained, and how rain barrel systems are installed. The second hour he will demonstrate how to install a rain barrel system with flexible pipe, downspout diverters, filters, screening, and other items needed to convert your own rain barrel, and these will be available for purchase and their assembly completed by the end of the workshop. Location: The ReBuild Warehouse, 6625 Iron Place, Springfield, VA 22151.

Saturday, May 15^th, 11 am

Climate Change for Dummies

Understanding climate science is hard enough without all the political brouhaha circulating around it. If you're curious to learn a little more about what makes it tick and why you should care (without getting a Ph.D. in Climatology) then this workshop is for you. Andrew J. Moore of Viable Earth will be returning to Rebuild in May to give an hour-long, down-to-earth, spin-free tutorial on Climate Change. Location: The ReBuild Warehouse, 6625 Iron Place, Springfield, VA 22151. www.viableearth.com

Saturday, May 22^nd, 11 am

Raised Bed Gardening

Find out how to obtain high vegetable yields form 24" raised planting boxes made from salvaged decking. Learn how these enable perfect soil mixes, great weed control, easy harvesting, minimal watering, simple pest control, & delicious, healthy produce. Learn how to build & manage modular boxes, exploit "vertical growing" for cucumbers, beans, & melons, how to build a "melon wall" & grow more than 2 dozen melons in 6 square feet of space, simple methods for protecting your crops from deer & other varmints, how a simple raised bed "greenhouse" enables year-round harvests, and how a simple rain barrel system can handle all your watering needs. Location: The ReBuild Warehouse, 6625 Iron Place, Springfield, VA 22151.

Presented by Ralph Crafts, who has built, experimented, & enjoyed the benefits described above. Ralph lives on 10 acres of woods in Fauquier County, which he has left mostly wooded & natural. He planted a wildflower meadow instead of grass, & has not owned or used a lawnmower in more than 25 years. He grows all his own herbs, many of his own vegetables, & raises heirloom fig trees, with no heavy equipment, no sophisticated watering systems, and no strong chemicals. He loves to share his experiences in hopes that others can enjoy similar results.

Other Community Events of Interest

Sunday, May 16^th , 12:30-2:00 pm

Sustainability & Enviromental Justice Talk/Tour at Seafarer's Yacht Club
Picnic Lunch (please bring a vegetarian dish to share) from
Tour & Environmental Effects Discussion from 2-5:00 pm
Seafarer's Yacht Club
1950 M St SE, DC 20003
http://seafarersyachtclub.org/2aboutus.html

Because this event was so popular in 2009, we are repeating it again this year! Once again, Jim Disbrow, recognized energy expert, and Irv Sheffey, Sierra Club Environmental Justice Representative, will join us for a meet-up at the Seafarer's Yacht Club to see first hand some of the unintended consequences of our lifestyle choices, particularly as they relate to food and housing. We will see and discuss examples of these costs (and options for solutions) on a walk by the Anacostia River. Jim and Irv will offer tips on effective community organizing and environmental training to address and remediate these consequences. The Seafarer's Yacht Club is the oldest African American Yacht Club in this country, with a long tradition of community activism and environmental protection. To RSVP contact Diana Artemis at: artemdi@yahoo.com. For Questions about the program contact Jim Disbrow at: jdisbrow22701@earthlink.net

National Bike to Work Day, Friday May 21

Join thousands of area commuters for a celebration of bicycling as a clean, fun and healthy way to get to work! Meet up with your neighbors at one of 27 pit stops all over the region. For more information visit the Washington Area Bicyclist Association at www.waba.org/events/btwd/index.php

Old Homes Can Be Green Homes: Making Your Historic House Energy Efficient, Tuesday, May 25, 2010 (Refreshments 6:30 pm, Program 7:00 pm)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010. refreshments 6:30, program 7:00 pm. The greenest building is the one that's already been built! At its 2010 Annual Meeting, Arlington Heritage Alliance will present a panel of experts who will talk about how to weatherize your old home without sacrificing its historic character. Brendan Meyer of the District of Columbia's Historic Preservation Office will talk about energy-efficiency improvements in old houses. David Gibney of Historic Restoration Specialists will give a hands-on practical demonstration on repairing and restoring historic windows (no vinyl replacements needed!). Rebecca Ballo of the Arlington County Historic Preservation Division will also be on hand to answer questions about Arlington's historic neighborhoods and resources for learning more about repairing and upgrading your historic house. Location: Lyon Park Community House, 414 North Fillmore Street, Arlington, Virginia 22201. Sponsored by Arlington Heritage Alliance and Arlington County Historic Preservation Division.

If your nonprofit organization or government agency is planning a event pertaining to environmental stewardship or sustainable development and would like to list your event in this section, please forward the pertinent information to Paul Hughes, phughes1@cox.net by the close of business on the 3^rd Friday of the month prior to the event.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are many ways (big and small) for you to become involved with ReBuild. And, we can always use the help!! Here are just some of the ways we could use your help:

Provide your professional services, help in managing the warehouse inventory or sales, office administration, public relations & media relationships, or fundraising

Donate used building materials

Become a steady customer and bring a friend

Recommend ReBuild to your friends or in your community newsletter

Make a financial donation

Provide a workshop on some aspect of environmental sustainability

Hold a fundraising house party or help staff a table at a community event

Donate office supplies, equipment or tools.

If you can help in any of these areas, please complete the volunteer application on our website.

Donate

How Does My Donation Make A Difference?

A major portion of ReBuild's mission is paying for the training of "hard-to-place" workers in new "Green Collar" jobs. Exactly what do we mean by "hard-to-place" workers? These could be any one of us or a family member down on their luck because of large medical bills. They could be willing workers who have successfully completed an alcohol or drug rehabilitation program but who have not been able to find steady employment even as they recover. It could be a parent whose family has been evicted from their home because the bank foreclosed on their landlord while both parents were unemployed. Or, it could be a person who has committed a nonviolent crime, served their sentence, was paroled early for good behavior, but is still unable to find work in this economy as they begin building a new life.

By helping this person obtaining the training certification and license in a specialty "green" job, like asbestos abatement, they will have credentials beyond that of just a menial laborer and will no longer be the "last hired and first fired" employee if they were even hired at all. They will have climbed a couple of rungs up a permanent career ladder that they would not otherwise have had an opportunity to achieve. Your contribution of $750-$1,000 needed for this person to achieve these skills can become a turning point in their life. If you like to help "Rebuild Lives and Communities Together" by making a donation, follow the link to ReBuild's secure website.

ReBuild Partners

ReBuild is grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our local and metro business and nonprofit partners. They donate their time, provide referrals, drop off quality items for resale, donate equipment, provide advertising venues, and provide us with ideas for improving our operations. Small, locally-based businesses and nonprofits are the foundation of an economically self-reliant and environmentally sustainable community.

If your company or organization is interested in partnering with ReBuild, contact Paul Hughes, 703-280-1719. See our website (www.rebuildwarehouse.org) for a full listing of our local and metro partners.

Thank you for your continuous support of ReBuild and its environmental goals.

Sincerely,

Paul S. Hughes Daryl Spencer

Executive Director President