www.marejournal.com M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal — ODM — 2018 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT — August 24 - Sept. 13, 2018 — 7B 2018 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT By Lisa Cassidy, ecoImagine Recycling programs = More jobs, higher tax revenues & better living for local communities A had declined from 817,300 to 577,400 during the same ten- year period. may not be contaminated with a hazardous substance, pollut- ant, or contaminant). s manufacturing ac- tivities and jobs con- tinue to be outsourced,
In another study titled, Re- cycling Means Business, the authors indicate that, “North Carolina’s ‘recycling economy’ is one of the fastest growing job engines in the state.” The study states that recycling employs more people than the state’s bio-tech industry, as well as the agricultural livestock industry and that “recycling jobs as a percentage of the state’s total employment have increased 40% in 10 years.” Specifically, between 1994 and 2004, recy- cling jobs increased from 8,700 to 14,000 while in contrast, manufacturing jobs in the state
and collection of recycling is a prerequisite for obtaining LEED certification. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Commitments That Yield Results A community’s commitment to a cleaner environment often reflects its commitment to a higher quality of living and a greater purpose - in this case - keeping valuable commodi- ties out of landfills. And for good reason. According to the continued on page 26B
communities a r e s t r ug - gling to add new, hi gh- paying jobs to boost local e c onomi e s . T o t a c k l e this problem, s ome l o c a l
Green buildings require the use of products made of re- cycled content (e.g., insulation, carpet, pavers) and salvageable materials (e.g., doors, windows, lumber) resulting from demoli- tion. Green developments, such as the Atlantic Station, cater to a “creative class” of people who are interested in an all-in-one live, work, and play environ- ment. The community was designed to serve as a model for environmental sustainabil- ity and smart growth. Storage
Smart Growth Strategies Cities like Atlanta, Georgia have turned to smart growth strategies to manage popula- tion growth. Smart growth strategies are based on prin- ciples of sustainability—higher density mixed-use develop- ments, remediation, integra- tion of transportation invest- ments with appropriate land use, green building and reuse of Brownfield sites (a.k.a. previ- ously developed land that is not currently in use - which may or
Lisa Cassidy
governments are shifting their focus by developing “creative economies” – economies that will attract alternative, sus- tainable industries to their area. One key indicator of a cre- ative economy is recycling. According to the EPA’s 2016 Recycling Economic Informa- tion (REI) Report, recycling and reuse of materials creates jobs (many with higher wages than the national average) and generates local and state tax revenues. Across the United States, recycling and reuse activities accounted for 757,000 jobs, $36.6 billion in wages and $6.7 billion in tax revenue based on 2007 U.S. census data. The report confirmed what many of us have known for decades - there are signifi- cant economic benefits to recycling. Listed below are just a few examples of how well-managed recycling programs can create more jobs, higher tax revenues and better quality of life for members of your local com- munity. Recycling = More Jobs + More Tax Revenue Every revenue-producing recycling program has one thing in common - channels for collected commodities to be sold in the marketplace. Well- managed recycling programs attract companies that repro- cess recyclables and suppliers who reuse these materials in their products. In one Florida study titled, Florida Recycling Economic In- formation Study, the National Recycling Coalition indicated that the state of Florida cre- ated $62 million in state tax revenues as a direct result of recycling and reuse programs. The study went on to say that the recycling and reuse pro- gram created 5x more jobs than people employed in convenience stores and had a total payroll 10 times larger - showing that better wages were given for many recycling jobs.
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