Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum, wahoo! I work with a PR firm that is helping out a big demo contractor with some PR, which is how I originally found this forum. But I've learned so much about demo and remediation and find it really fascinating.

I come from an environmental background, and some of my best friends are project managers, architects, lighting designers, for low-impact, LEED-type buildings. Before working in this industry I had NO idea how much all of you are actually really helping the environment!

I don't know if you look at it that way, but you really are! (And I am sorry, I don't mean to be lumping "you" into one group...!! I guess I just mean, "you" like, the people actually doing the work, whereas I consider myself a support service). You help take down old buildings that are contaminated, or unsafe, so that developers can build something within an existing community, instead of sprawling out even more into the suburbs and leaving dead buildings in a city's core. Don't get me wrong, I grew up in a suburb, I understand the challenge of needing to have space and affordable housing, while still having a community somehow. But by doing this, you help revitalize areas that might have been starting to become a ghost town.

Example: we have a neighborhood in Seattle called Georgetown. There are a lot of old factory and warehouse-type buildings. lots of old red brick. A lot of the buildings aren't structurally sound. But the neighborhood is affordable. So a lot of families, artists, not-rich-people have moved in, and demo companies are helping gut and do some selective demo to some buildings, so developers can bring in more housing, retail, commercial, etc. And the demo companies do this while saving some of the really beautiful old facades of the brick buildings that were crafted by hand so many years ago.

There are even more areas you help out. But I should get back to work...! But just think - diverting waste to landfill - I have family on Staten Island near the Fresh Kills landfill - I know what it's like to have perfectly good landscapes filled with trash, simply because we're too lazy to wash a reusable container or use cloth bags (I know, I am guilty of this too).

And, diverting waste to landfill means the raw materials are recycled, or reused, so there's less need for mining the raw materials out of the ground.

And, you help clean up environmental toxins, like asbestos, in places like schools and public buildings where we all benefit.

And, you help take apart big old inefficient power plants, factories, etc., so that those companies can at least recoup some of their value, and hopefully share with the employees who used to work there, if they were laid off. Or at least reuse the materials and regain the land for a new, maybe clean energy (!?) project.

It's complex, but really fascinating, and really really positive. I am proud to be part of this community, and hope each of you are too!!!

Cheers, looking forward to being in the community,
Nicole
ps apologies if this is all incredibly naive, I just think that as PR person, I don't see enough of this great stuff highlighted, so I'm trying to do my part...!