BRING's History
In 1971, a group of volunteers decided to do something about waste. A few weeks later, BRING Recycling was born, one of many non-profit environmental groups inspired by the first Earth Day in 1970. That first year, the fledgling organization collected 400 tons of glass and launched the "reduce, reuse, recycle" way of life. Recycling is now a core value in our community.
BRING has always been an innovator. We launched the first conservation education program in the schools. We collected materials that no one had recycled before - plastic, milk cartons, e-waste - then made the leap from glass jars to glass windows, from metal cans to stainless steel sinks. Soon our humble quarters were overflowing with reusable materials of all kinds. Builders, artists, fabricators, and bargain hunters combed through the piles, and over the years, BRING became a haven for creative reusers.
Four decades later, BRING has not only survived, but thrived. In 2007, we moved to our new home, the Planet Improvement Center, where more and more people are discovering how to live well without waste. The Center is much more than a place to find great used stuff - it's a community treasure, with art, a demonstration garden, and ever-increasing examples of green building, creative reuse and renewable energy.
