Can the Wood Project save Baltimore?
Did you know that there are over 16,000 houses which have been abandoned and vacant for many years in Baltimore?
The lack of employment opportunities, the violent crime, the poor schools and the racial prejudice are all playing a part in the abandoned houses.
Luckily, The Baltimore Wood Project are on hand to deconstruct houses and resell the wood locally, thus creating more jobs and a more welcoming neighborhood.
What is The Baltimore Wood Project?
The project believes that wood is a renewable resource and one that should be being used more. Which is exactly what The Baltimore Wood Project aims to do.
The project is looking to deconstruct buildings in the city which are no longer in use. And give the components a new leash of life.
Bringing together partners and ideas the project wants to encourage residents of Baltimore to be smarter and more thoughtful about the use of urban wood.
The project wants to build a regional economy network around wood and land restoration, with a specific focus on reclaiming wood, lives and neighborhoods in the urban and rural areas.
Some benefits of the project include:
- Reducing landfill waste
- Creating employment opportunities
- Reducing costs and increasing revenues to municipalities
- Making use of green and renewable materials
- Restoring land and watersheds
- Encouraging communities to work together and find hope
- Helping the city strive towards a sustainable future.
The project is also said that they will be implementing similar strategies across other struggling communities.
What Does Deconstructing Mean?
Deconstructing buildings means to dismantle selective components of buildings in order to reuse, recycle or repurpose the parts.
According to TOOLSWIZARD, deconstructing buildings is better for the environment as it allows the buildings components, such as wood, to be reused and recycled, which eliminates the overall waste that demolition often causes.
The process of deconstruction can be costly, however it focuses on giving the materials which are perfectly fine within an abandoned building a chance for a life. This in turn creates a more sustainable building procedure and is more environmentally friendly than just knocking down buildings.
What Does the Project Mean For Baltimore?
The project will mean that the 4,000 Baltimore rowhouses which are expected to be demolished within the next 4 years can instead be deconstructed, which will provide 6-8 more jobs for the people of Baltimore.
The project is looking to help people who are struggling to find work build new skills and a career. Thus Baltimore’s economy will improve and the people’s health will also improve.
Baltimore will use up less landfill because of the project, which is focusing on reusing as much material as possible. This will mean that the city is more greener and can work towards a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Finally, the project will also save costs, in the areas where parks or other infrastructures will be erected in the place of the deconstructed buildings.
It costs less to build on a deconstructed block than it does a demolished one. This money saving strategy will also help to boost Baltimore’s economy.
Save Baltimore With Wood
The project has many benefits to the city of Baltimore and can help to solve some key issues such as abandoned buildings which are known as eyesores, and working towards a more sustainable future.
Restoring the city in an environmentally friendly way such as The Baltimore Wood Project is just what the city needs.