Reuse is better than Recycle
Environmental Impact Handout
File Size: 2887 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Here at Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area, we care for the environment and are committed to sustainability. Our commitment to lowering our impact on the environment can be seen in the majority of the programs operated by Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area.

Our ReStore has various elements that contribute to lower our environmental impact.
  • When we grew out of our original ReStore in 2014, we purchased an existing building which prevented carbon footprint and waste associated with the construction of a new building.
  • In 2015, we sustainably renovated our ReStore landscape by planting native plants, implementing a system to prevent soil erosion, and creating a water storage system. Native, pollinators, and food plants are spread throughout the grounds.
    • What’s great about native plants is that they sustainably support the ecosystem and add a sense of beauty to any landscape.
    • To prevent further rainwater runoff that carries pollution to the La Crosse and Mississippi Rivers, we built a system that diverts storm water and distributes it to the surrounding plants and reduces flooding rather than sending it to storm drains.
    • Our rainwater collection system harvests and stores water for future usage.
Every item sold is a diversion from the landfill. For 13 years, the ReStore has diverted an estimated 6,280,000 pounds from the landfill. We currently divert about 67,500 pounds from the landfill each month.
  • The La Crosse Habitat ReStore location is unique because we are neighbors with the La Crosse County Landfill. Our proximity to the landfill reinforces the importance of landfill diversion. Therefore, we have an amazing working relationship with the landfill. When the general public bring items to the landfill that landfill staff know would be useful at the ReStore, they send the public our way. We both want less items in the landfill, plus people save money when they donate to the Restore. In 2020, we will have shared signage with the landfill that directs and informs. Click here to learn more about the La Crosse County Landfill.
  • The ReStore also has a recycling room where volunteers disassemble various items that cannot be sold or fixed. This way, even more items are diverted from the landfill.
  • We teach DIY classes on repurposing and reusing materials found in the ReStore. Our goal is to educate the public in fun and engaging events on various projects that they can do themselves. We currently hold these classes throughout the year.
  • In 2018, all of the lighting in the ReStore was retrofitted with LED lights to save more energy.
  • We are proud to have solar energy coming to the ReStore in 2020.
  • Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area houses it’s offices at our ReStore location, and we work together to ensure a high level of recycling and reuse in our office.

Habitat for Humanity’s homes also emphasize our commitment to the environment.
  • Habitat does not always build houses from the ground up, often we rehab existing homes. This saves material by reusing what is already available and reduces the waste from a full demolition.
  • When we are involved in the total construction of a house, we use as much reclaimed lumber and other materials as we can from the ReStore.
  • All homes renovated and built by Habitat are certified through Focus on Energy. This decreases the reliance on fossils fuels while helping to save energy and money for future homeowners.
​The 2019 Builder 100 list ranks Habitat for Humanity International as the second largest developer of affordable housing in the United State. At Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area, we currently average about 6 homes built or rehabbed per year. These are all homes that have been renovated/built sustainably.
For individuals and businesses completing remodeling or demolition projects, our ReClaim program helps by removing the items and selling them at our ReStore.
  • We salvage the reusable items and divert more from the landfill.
  • Individuals and businesses save money on demolition and waste hauling cost.
  • Each ReClaim project diverts an average of 6 tons from the landfill.
  • To learn more about this program, visit the ReClaim page.
 
Why buy used? Similar to how people have carbon footprints—a cumulative total for the emissions they have caused—so do the products we buy. This is a concept referred to as the life cycle. This cycle starts the moment the decision to make the product arises and stops when the product is no longer useful. When accounting for these stages, it is important to acknowledge the resources used to make and maintain the product, as this contributes to their overall carbon footprint. This includes, but is not limited to, the gasoline for transport, the raw materials to build the product, packaging, supplies to manage the product, and disposal. By purchasing used, you help to expand the product’s lifecycle, reduce the amount of new items that need to be placed into the market, and reduce the amount of emissions into the environment.
We are not alone in our commitment to lower our environmental impact. Other Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country also share a sense of sustainability. After all, affordable housing plays an important role in the overall sustainability of a community.