Known as the birthplace of hip-hop, the South Bronx in New York City is. a global center for music and art. However, it also suffers from poverty and pollution. Heavy trucks deliver unwanted construction waste to sorting stations, which then transfer waste to distant landfills.
Just graduating from college and working for an environmental group, Omar started to think about redirecting waste to those in need. He wondered, "Instead of destroying things like old doors, why not make this business a 'cooperative' , which means people who work in the business own it and share the profits?"
Omar decided to start his business. He handed out leaflets along the truck-jammed, waste-filled streets to find individuals with similar ideas and interests to join him. Eventually, Omar found four workers and secured a warehouse. They reached out to relevant people, offering to remove items from construction sites for free. Soon, their warehouse was filled with donated materials，including 80 new toilets, unwanted doors，theater seats, and even a giant popcorn machine.
A few years ago, Omar started his first cooperative devoted to reusing construction waste. The cooperative began selling construction supplies at reasonable prices to neigh born hood builders and home owners. With support from city officials, Omar began developing a new training program to equip local residents with the necessary skills for environmental impact jobs.
Omar said, "Think about a wooden door that you've just bought. In order to produce that, someone had to cut down trees. In order to ship it across the country, someone had to pump oil out of the ground. You can avoid all that if you buy a good used door. And at the same time, you can reduce pollution, save money, and create jobs in communities like the South Bronx. "
Omar even had the image of a future with a whole network of green cooperative businesses in the area, which would work together to reuse different kinds of construction materials. "If you have a use for something, "Omar said, " it's no longer waste. "
