Event Description

Massachusetts is facing a waste crisis. The state is quickly running out of landfill space and no new sites are currently in the pipeline. In addition, trash incinerators are operating at capacity. Everyone agrees that we need to reduce the amount of trash we generate, in Massachusetts and in communities everywhere. But how?

 A significant portion of the trash we throw out isn’t really trash but products waiting for a second life –  perfectly reusable sinks, doors, mantles, beds, dressers, housewares, etc. One person’s trash is another’s treasure. How do we connect the “excess” with the “need?” Two companies working to find a new life for those unwanted household goods and building supplies are Household Goods in Acton and Boston Building Resources in Roxbury.  

Household Goods provides a full range of donated furniture and household items, free of charge, to help people in need make a home. Without basic furnishings – beds, a couch, chairs, a dining table, and kitchenware – a house or apartment is little more than a bare shelter. Last year Household Goods furnished 3,100 homes with 90,000 items – large and small. This was made possible by hundreds of dedicated volunteers. Brigid Bieber, Board of Directors Vice President, will talk about how Household Goods has successfully provided its services to MetroWest since 1990.

 Boston Building Resources provides the Boston community with high-value, affordable materials, both new and used, for home maintenance and improvements. The organization also provides expert advice, technical assistance, and hands-on workshops that teach home improvement skills. BBR also is focused on benefiting the environment. The organization is a source for energy-efficient, water-saving, and environmentally friendly items such as rain barrels, home compost bins, weather stripping, and materials made from recycled components. Further, needless waste is reduced when reusable materials are donated to the Reuse Center at BBR instead of being sent to landfills.  Andrew Thompson, the Assistant Director of Partnerships at Boston Building Resources, will talk about the BBR story, evolving since 1978. 

Image: Boston Building Resources