Using Recycling to Assist Hurricane Recovery

A former NASA engineer developed new recycling efforts in the East End of Houston to reuse building materials in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

RePurpose Depot is the 6,800-square-foot warehouse that Caroline Kostakhad had begun planning even before Hurricane Harvey flooded and destroyed thousands of homes and small businesses in the area. Since then, the depot has provided everything from doors and windows to ceiling fans, toilets, sinks and even granite counters at a low cost to anyone who walks in.

In addition to RePurpose Depot, various nonprofits around the city—some are startups and others are agencies—continue to help serve the needs of flood victims.

The Houston Chronicle has more:

Terry “Sarge” Howell left a trail of giant sweat drops on the concrete floor as he and his fellow “pirates” carried cabinets, counters and other building materials from the moving van that was backed up to the RePurpose Depot in Houston’s East End.

It was 8 a.m., but it was already steaming hot, and the slight breeze was doing little to cool down the crew of hired hands delivering the latest home deconstruction for this small business.

The 6,800-square-foot corrugated metal warehouse on McFarland Street has had a number of previous lives, but right now it houses one of the city’s newest recycling efforts, created by a former NASA engineer who wanted to promote green building by reusing building materials and keeping them out of landfills.

Related:Five Ways to Gear Up for Hurricane Season

Read the full article here.