22 DECEMBER 2017 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com
BY ANGELA MATUA
AMATUA@QNS.COM
Big Reuse, a nonprofit that
sold recycled furniture
and materials and taught
Queens residents how
to compost, closed its door on Nov.
30 after 12 years.
According to executive director
Justin Green, the center’s landlord
wanted to double the rent at their
space at 03-17 26th Ave. in Asto-ria,
which is not sustainable for the
nonprofit. He announced the closure
on the organization’s website on
Oct. 26.
“Additionally, this neighborhood is
undergoing so many changes,” Green
said. “Every building around us is be-ing
demolished. There’s no parking on
the street because there’s so much
construction. This neighborhood is
going to be under construction for
the next five years, so it’s really hard
to operate a business.”
The nonprofit diverts millions of
pounds of construction waste from
sites and sells back an eclectic mix of
items such as lumber, doors, windows,
refrigerators, kitchen cabinets and
more at a cheaper price. Big Reuse
also operates the city’s compost-ing
project. Residents collect food
scraps that Big Reuse turns into soil
for community gardens and other
city greenery.
Green said the nonprofit is going
to focus its energy on its Gowanus
location but hopes to move back to
Queens soon, preferably at a location
that includes ample parking and ac-cess
to public transportation.
“We’re looking forward to coming
back to Queens as soon as possible,”
he said.
Erycka De Jesus, an outreach
coordinator for Big Reuse, said it’s
unfortunate that the center is clos-ing
at a time when environmentally
friendly organizations should be
expanding.
“Salvage warehouses should be
increasing, not decreasing with what
we know about climate change and
knowing that building materials make
up the largest portion of our material
waste,” she said.
Photos courtesy of Big Reuse
Community News
THE FINAL This neighborhood is going to be
under construction for the next
five years, so it’s really hard to
operate a business.
JUSTIN GREEN
Executive Director
