The Environmental Benefits of Preservation
/How Does Preservation Help the Environment?
When it comes to being environmentally friendly, being preservation-minded is a large step in the right direction. By preserving existing materials (everything from the foundation to the floor and everything in between!) you are helping to save the planet in two ways:
1) Preventing Debris into Landfills
Did you know that debris from demolitions makes up around 24 percent of waste in landfills! Historic Albany Foundation tries to save as much as we can (see info about our Parts Warehouse below) but unfortunately, our Warehouse isn’t big enough for houses (yet!). Every time a building is demolished all of the materials that kept it standing are lost forever, and 99% of the time are taken to the dump. Not only are we losing valuable architecture, history, and a sense of place - all of the bricks, pipes, windows, siding, and doors, but are also sent to the already taxed landfills to rot.
2) No Need for New
Preservation also helps to conserve energy as no new material has to be made. Think about how much energy goes into making a house. Take wood for example- it needs to be grown, cut, transported, treated, transported again, etc. Now times that by how many ‘new’ things a house will need to be habitable. Everything in a new house has an impossibly large carbon footprint in comparison to something that already exists.
Our warehouse full of salvaged items
You’ve probably heard the famous phrase “the greenest building is the one already built” and we couldn’t agree more! Learn about Historic Albany’s commitment to being greener below:
Tool Lending Library
The Tool Lending Library will be launched this summer at our Warehouse, 89 Lexington Avenue Albany NY. But why did we want to start this program? Libraries of ‘things’ have been growing in popularity as an antidote to waste, the excess of consumerism, and the issue of ongoing inequality. For a minimal annual fee of $20, all members will be able to borrow items as and when they need them. Tools are often expensive and for many people do not represent a meaningful investment, in that they may only be used a handful of times, are for one project, or are only used at certain times of the year. The Tool Library will not only promote a sharing economy but will also empower the residents of the Capital Region by showing them how to use the tools.
A collection of single use tools that have been donated to our tool library
In short, our aim for the Tool Library is to:
> Provide tools to make home maintenance and preservation more accessible to all
> Empower individuals by teaching them skills
> Create an active sharing economy and community
> Help the environment
Single Function Tools
Oftentimes a single function tool is necessary for a project, only for it to no longer serve a purpose afterward. This causes an abundance of waste as the tool is typically discarded or sits in the garage year-round. Single function tools require a great deal of energy and resources to make and then can be discarded and end up in landfills. Thanks to the Tool Lending Library these tools can be donated, rather than them ending up in the trash, so someone else can borrow them.
The Tool Lending Library is a great way to save money and help preserve the environment by avoiding overproduction and creating a sharing economy!
Warehouse
Historic Albany Foundation’s ever-popular Parts Warehouse is a physical embodiment of our commitment to preservation and the environment. At the Warehouse, salvaged items such as bathtubs, windows, doors, and furniture are available for purchase. When someone is in search of something for their home/new project, the Warehouse provides them with an environmentally safer option than purchasing a brand new item. This adds historic character to your home, has a smaller carbon footprint, and members even get a 20% discount on all items! It also negates the need for the production of a new product.
The team at the Warehouse operates completely on donations and will even pick items up to save them from the landfill! So next time you’re thinking about throwing out an old door, contact us and see if we can take it. This helps to end the cycle of mass production and the accumulation of items in landfills.
Want to find out more about any of the above? Contact Kim Parker kparker@historic-albany.org or call 5184650876 X110
a beautiful sink that was donated to the warehouse