Title: Salvage as a recession hedge: green jobs and other economic stimuli

Authors: Amy Bauman

Addresses: greenGoat, Somerville, MA, USA

Abstract: Two projects combine selective deconstruction with job training. Beyond financial savings, training is a huge bonus during recession. Scarcity shows us opportunity. Waste is an unneeded expense, and deconstruction offers savings and jobs. We illustrate material donor and recipient economics. The road between includes contractors spending labour to lower the material |price| and refurbishers who find broader markets for their product, partially because of green building popularity. The life cycle (LCA, 2001) includes community. Regulation can support conservation and local industry. If manufacturers relocate, displaced workers cannot afford (typically expensive) locally made goods. A local economy creates better quality of life.

Keywords: corporate refit; deconstruction; demolition debris; reusable building materials; construction debris; green demolition; green building; post-consumer building materials; greenGoat; life cycle analysis; LCA; green collar jobs; solid waste management; sustainability; sustainable development; job training; green jobs; other economic stimuli; recycling; local economy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2010.032535

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2010 Vol.13 No.1, pp.84 - 95

Published online: 06 Apr 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article