Introduction to URBAN ORE Daniel Knapp, Ph.D. President, General Manager June 23, 2010

We prevent landfilling We salvage at the City of Berkeley Solid Waste Transfer station. We receive discards people bring us, 360 days a year. (We buy some.) We pick up unwanted things after we screen the materials on the phone.

We Began at the Dump, 1979 Berkeley’s 1976 Solid Waste Management Plan called for salvaging for reuse at the City’s dump. The first organization, a nonprofit, failed. Urban Ore formed with zero capital to fill the need. The City incubated the enterprise with free access and rent.

We Salvaged from “The Big Store”

We Let People Know How to Help and they did

We Sold Scrap Metals

Organizing and Upgrading Created Value

We Bought Our First Equipment

Selling for Reuse Conserved More Resources and Brought in More Income than Recycling Scrap

Many Objects Needed More Care and a Better Market

In 1980 We Opened a Store In Town Our first location was on San Pablo Avenue

Again, Organizing and Upgrading Created Value

In 1983 We Moved With the City When the Dump Closed We salvaged at the new transfer station and occupied sales space onsite

In 1989 We Left the City’s Site and United the General Store with Building Materials at 6th & Gilman

From We Moved to the Ecopark at 7th & Ashby We converted an old pipe manufacturing facility to mercantile.

We Still Salvage

Receiving - Building Materials

Receiving - General Store

Sometimes We Buy Rewards modify behavior.

We Pick Up

We Sell

And Sell.

1/3 of interior from above

2 acres more outside

What we can’t sell, we recycle.

900 Murray St., Berkeley Ashby Ave.

The End 900 Murray St. Berkeley, CA phone SAVE Dr. Daniel Knapp, Ph.D. General Manager Cell