At CI Works, we encourage tenant businesses to be environmentally focused and become stewards. We encourage energy savings, renewable energy sources, non-toxic materials, and re-use of materials where possible across various businesses including working cross companies to meet others' needs. It is positive for the environment and all of us. One of those businesses is North Shore Barn Doors that reuses old barn wood to create beautiful decorative doors that work in old buildings, new homes, and commercial buildings, without cutting down any additional trees. Below is a picture of a completed door.
And, then, the story gets better and more positive as to outcomes. Like any wood product - start with a 10 foot piece when making an 8 foot door, you have 2 feet of waste. Rather than discarding the waste sections, NSBD has offered these extra pieces to any tenants that can use them - either for scrap or even firewood. One - Steve Bloom used his creative mind and entrepreneurial spirit - and came up with an even better idea...to make birdhouses out of the scrap pieces.
Steve has shown his young sons how to make birdhouses from the scraps and taught them how to use both hand and power tools to make the birdhouses. The kids are developing skills that have become a lost art. How many kids these days have acquired vocational skills and done it working with a parent? Already, we have a positive outcome.
Then, the boys sell the birdhouses they made to raise funds for animal rescues. They have donated sales proceeds to benefit animal shelters. So, what started as waste wood is converted to donations to an excellent charitable cause. Along the way, there is lots to be learned from by all involved. Great job!
