Incorporating reusable/recyclable/biodegradable building materials in your project can reduce waste, pollution, and energy use. Some examples of reusable/recyclable/biodegradable building materials include:

Wood (reusable/recyclable/biodegradable)
Earthen Materials (reusable/biodegradable)
Steel, Aluminum, Iron, Copper (reusable/recyclable)
Bricks (reusable/recyclable)
Concrete (may be crushed and recycled)
Gypsum/Drywall (recyclable, sometimes biodegradeable)
Straw Bale Insulation (biodegradable)
Wool Carpet (biodegradable)
Linoleum Flooring (biodegradable)

Building materials composed of one substance (e.g, steel, concrete, wood, etc.), or that are readily disassembled into individual materials, are generally easiest to reuse or recycle.

Materials composed of many ingredients, such as vinyl siding or wood chipboard are generally not readily reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable.

Evaluate materials carefully. Are they the best choice for the application? Are they durable? Can they be readily disassembled for reuse, recycling, or biodegrading at the end of the useful life of the building?

The extraction, manufacture and transport, and disposal of virgin building materials pollutes air and water, depletes resources, and damages natural habitats. Construction and demolition are responsible for roughly 30% of the U.S. solid waste stream and real-world case studies by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority have demonstrated more than 85% of that material, from flooring to roofing to packaging, is reusable or recyclable.

The benefits of reusing/recycling/biodegrading building materials include: reduced landfill waste, reduced embodied energy, aesthetically pleasing materials, and reduced impacts from harvest or mining of virgin materials (e.g., logging old-growth or tropical hardwood trees, mining metals, etc.) Using reusable/recyclable/biodegradable materials supports companies that take the care to make such environmentally preferable products.

On the other hand, be aware that some materials should not be reused, or require remediation. Materials contaminated by hazardous substances such as asbestos and lead paint must be treated and/or disposed of properly. Avoiding materials that will cause future problems is critical to long-term waste reduction, as well as the health of our community and the planet.

To Learn More:

Reusable/Recyclable/Biodegradable building products are available widely. Call ahead to confirm they have the materials you seek.

LOCAL RESOURCES

Monterey Bay Area Green Building Directory
Prepared in cooperation with the County of Santa Cruz Public Works Department, copies of the MAGBD are available from Santa Cruz County Planning permitting counters, and the MAGBD is hosted online by local green architect Marilyn Crenshaw.

GREATER SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RESOURCES

ACWMA Builder's Guide to Reuse and Recycling

The Reuse People
(888) 588-9490

Whole House Building Supply
(650) 328-8731

Bay Area Build It Green Materials Database

GENERAL RESOURCES

California Integrated Waste Management Board
Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling

CIWMB Recycled-Content Product Directory

Materials for the Future Foundation

GreenSpec
A fee-based service searchable by the standard UniFormat. It is probably the most comprehensive single source of green building product information.

Oikos
A free website with information about a wide range of greener construction products

Center for Resourceful Building Technology
A free website with information about a wide range of greener construction products