When most people think about remodeling, the first step that comes to mind is demolition smash, haul, dump, repeat. But there’s a better way. At Better Futures Minnesota, we offer deconstruction: a careful, deliberate process of taking apart buildings so materials can be reused or recycled instead of ending up in a landfill. It’s not just a different approach; it’s a smarter, more sustainable one. Here are three of the biggest benefits:
The largest and most urgent reason to choose deconstruction is the impact on our planet. The EPA estimated that in 2018 alone, 600 million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) debris were generated in the U.S. that’s twice the amount of everyday household trash produced that year.
What happens when those materials get dumped in landfills? Groundwater and air quality suffer. Toxic substances like heavy metals from old paints and adhesives can seep into rainwater, forming harmful leachate. On top of that, wood and other organics in C&D waste release methane gas, a powerful contributor to climate change. By salvaging lumber, cabinets, appliances, windows, and more, we keep these materials out of the landfill and give them a second life.
Here’s something many people don’t know: the materials we salvage from your project are considered a tax-deductible donation. That means when you work with Better Futures Minnesota, your project cost often ends up being comparable to demolition or even less. You’re not just helping the environment; you’re helping your bottom line, too.
Deconstruction is about more than buildings it’s about people. Every project supports our mission of providing on-the-job training and employment for men who are rebuilding their lives after incarceration. By choosing deconstruction, you’re investing in someone’s future. You’re saying that people deserve second chances and meaningful work, all while helping us create stronger communities.
In short: Deconstruction benefits the planet, your wallet, and your neighbors. The next time you’re planning a remodel, skip the bulldozers and dumpsters. Choose Better Futures Minnesota Deconstruction and be part of the solution.
👉 Contact us today for a free quote.
Looking for a holiday gift that supports Minnesota Environment?
Check out the ReUse Minnesota's holiday Gift Guide for gift ideas for family, friends and co-workers. Click to view the whole guide: Holiday Gift Guide
Reuse Minnesota was founded in 2012 and is a member-based nonprofit that builds partnerships and supports a vibrant network of reuse practitioners through education, advocacy, and promotion. The organization supports member businesses by connecting them to new customers and to other reuse businesses. Reuse Minnesota is focused on bringing visibility to the reuse sector as a means to lower our impact on the environment by avoiding manufacturing new goods. Reuse Minnesota promotes sustainable consumption and prioritizing the social, environmental, and economic benefits of reuse.
If you're a DIYer visit the Reuse Warehouse Store for materials for your next project, we sell reclaimed lumber, tiles, solid wood doors, lighting cabinets and everything you need for your next project at affordable prices that can't be beat.
Work to de-construct the first of three tax forfeited buildings in St. Louis County began Wednesday in partnership with a non-profit organization called Better Futures Minnesota.
Through Better Futures Minnesota, materials from forfeited buildings that would otherwise go to waste are salvaged and men who want to construct better lives for themselves can through the de-construction of these very buildings.
A recent study reveals that more than half of all inmates in jails and state prisons suffer from a mental illness of some kind. From a recent Atlantic article: Currently, though, what we have are prison dorms packed with people who are anxious, depressed, manic or hearing things. As the Bazelon Center puts it: "No rational purpose is served by the current system."
The measures outlined in the "Cures" bill would support the expansion of bipartisan initiatives that would address mental health illnesses in our jails and prisons.
In addition, the bill will help connect individuals with reentry services, helping to improve transition into the community and reducing recidivism rates.
At Better Futures Minnesota, we believe addressing these issues is critical to ensuring reentry, building healthier lives, and growing a community of men who are self-sufficient, good fathers, and strong members of the community. We know that compassionate, integrated care rebuilds lives. That's why we work to address mental health issues and promote housing stability; health and wellness engagement; workforce development; and life coaching and compassionate care. Through our evidence-based integrated-care model, we can work to reaffirm each man’s dignity and instill the self-discipline and behaviors that are a prerequisite to self-sufficiency.
We are grateful proposed legislation will address the ongoing mental health crisis and support criminal justice reform.
To learn more: https://csgjusticecenter.org/jc/u-s-house-approves-justice-and-mental-health-reforms-in-cures-bill/?mc_cid=f2fb8aeb5d&mc_eid=a6f10e755f
Reuse and deconstruction are growing in Minnesota, and we're excited about the opportunities to help lead Minnesota to a cleaner, Zero Waste future! Recently, we were featured in the Star Tribune, where Neal St. Anthony highlighted our ReUse Warehouse, online store, and deconstruction services.
Two nonprofit enterprises, Better Futures Minnesota and Habitat for Humanity, are opening used building-materials, appliance and fixtures stores within a block of each other on a mile of Minnehaha Avenue S. between 26th and 38th streets that features retailers peddling used and recycled goods.
Better Futures Minnesota recently opened its store at 26th and Minnehaha and also launched an online e-commerce site for reclaimed building materials. Better Futures, which employs 72, most of whom are reentering the workforce from prison, also provides “deconstruction services” that Hennepin County says are cost-effective and better alternatives to demolition. Eighty five percent of a building is recycled.
“We look at how to minimize construction and demolition waste going to the landfill,” said Paul Kroening, a supervising environmentalist at Hennepin County. “Better Futures is the only one providing deconstruction services, and it works well with employment training and improving lives.”
In 2015, nearly 700 tons of material was recycled or reused, thanks to Better Futures deconstruction services. More info: www.betterfuturesminnesota.com
Check out the full story here!
Earlier this spring, we relocated our ReUse Warehouse to South Minneapolis near the “Minnehaha Mile,” a shopping district dedicated to recycled, reused, and reclaimed products. Most recently, Better Futures launched a brand-new online e-commerce site, Minnesota’s only online store featuring reclaimed building materials at a fraction of the retail cost.
“Deconstruction and used building materials provide an environmental and social vision,” says Better Futures Minnesota President & CEO Thomas Adams.
Better Futures Minnesota is the leading provider of deconstruction services, an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to typical demolition that ensures nearly 85 percent of a home or building is recycled and reused.
“Our social enterprise has stacked and multiple benefits—employing on average 18 men a day, and providing men with skill certification, work experience, and income they need to succeed,” says Adams. “These are men who have been chronically unemployed, and would not be working otherwise without the support of Better Futures.”
In 2015, nearly 700 tons or building materials were recycled or reused, thanks to Better Futures Minnesota’s deconstruction and reuse services, and 72 men were employed through Better Futures’ business services.
Better Futures partners with businesses, homeowners, and municipalities, including Hennepin County, to reduce waste in Minnesota.
“One of the things we are definitely looking at is how to minimize construction and demolition waste going to the landfill,” says Paul Kroening, a supervising environmentalist in the Waste Reduction and Recycling Unit at Hennepin County.
“Better Futures Minnesota is the only one providing deconstruction services, and it works very well with employment training and improving the lives of the men. It has a social benefit as well,” he adds.
Better Futures Minnesota’s deconstruction crews are specially trained to preserve the historic beauty and value in the reusable materials of a home, helping to reduce the amount of building waste that winds up in the landfill every year. In addition, Better Futures Minnesota’s appliance recycling services works to keep more than a million pounds of waste from going to the landfill every year.
As a unique social enterprise, we're working to make a positive impact on the lives of men, the community, and the environment every day.