A Reuse and Recycling Enterprise with Multiple Benefits Presentation to Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board February 22, 2012

Purpose of this Briefing 1.Introduce The NetWork for Better Futures and its social enterprise, Better Futures Enterprises 2.Outline our waste diversion and reuse/recycling lines of business 3.Summarize the multiple benefits generated by our work 4.Discuss how we can help advance Solid Waste goals

Better Futures Enterprises CREATES JOBS and GENERATES INCOME Two lines of business: 1.Provide reliable, supervised, work crews for public and private customers 2.Divert materials from the waste stream, activities include: Book recycling Residential and commercial building deconstruction Mixed plastics recycling Appliance reuse and recycling Resale and recycling of used household goods

BFE Creates Jobs and Recycles Lines of Business FTECustomers2011 Results Book Recycling3 -4 St. Paul Public Libraries, Hennepin, Carver, Isanti, Rice, Scott and Wright Counties, Better World Books 103 Tons of Books Recycled or Sold Appliance Recycling 3-4 Hennepin County, St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Minnesota Public Housing Authority, Aspen Waste 9K Appliances Recycled or Sold Deconstruction (2010) 5 City of St. Paul, Project for Pride in Living, Macalester College, Ramsey County, Mortenson Construction 92%-97% Recycling Rate, 100s of Tons of Material Reclaimed Household Goods and Plastics 1 Brooklyn Park Transfer Station, Bridging, IKEA, Residents 50 Tons Diverted from the Landfill

BFE Creates Jobs and Provides Crew Labor Lines of Business FTECustomers Results Jan - Dec 2011 Cleanouts of Foreclosed Properties 3 Wells Fargo, Edina Realty, Remax Results, The Realty House, Twin Cities Community, Land Bank Safe and Clean Spaces Grounds Keeping 3 City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Macalester, TCF Stadium Clean Public Spaces Building Maintenance 2 Hennepin County Libraries, Private Building Owners, Macalester College, Northwestern College, Augsburg College Safe & Clean Spaces

Environmental Benefits Diverts and recycles costly, cumbersome waste products Reduces volume of materials in landfill Reduces the cost of transporting waste to burners and landfills Provides a platform for diverting and reusing or recycling other materials 7

Social and Economic Benefits All profits reinvested in local community Jobs for chronically unemployed, at-risk adults Reduced use of costly public programs Increased child support payment rates Reengagement with children and families Improved care of chronic illnesses

NetWork Goals Create jobs Reduce spending Build a vibrant community Assess our value, impact and results Help reform practices, policies and systems

Cross-Disciplinary Model Stable, safe home Work and income Primary health care Behavioral health care and treatment Vibrant community experience

A New Model of Success Status Quo The NetWork results for an average 70 men in 2011 Employed25%94% Paying child support 15%65% Homelessness100%0% Health insurance0%90% Behavior health assessments 0%67% Return to prison for a new felony 26%7%* Over 500 participants served and engaged since January 2008 *Based on participants who have been enrolled with The NetWork for 90 or more days since December 2009

Challenges Deconstruction is 10 to 15% more costly than typical demolition Extremely low cost to dump C and D waste Hard to gain access to transfer stations Long term relationships and practices must be changed

Opportunities Better Futures generates significant multiple benefits: social, economic and environmental Counties can test and showcase ways to reuse and recycle a broader array of materials Changes in County policies and practices (deconstruction rather than demolition; creative diversion of household goods) can set trends and generate environmental results Use Better Futures to test, pilot and develop expanded and new methods of reuse and recycling

Next Steps 1.Visit our processing facility in Golden Valley 2.Identify ways to increase the amount of materials we are harvesting and recycling or reusing 3.Use our crews and expertise to test and demonstrate the efficacy of new or expanded recycling techniques

For more information please contact: Vicky McMillan networkforbetterfutures.com