It’s pretty cool when two groups that both focus on making our planet better come together for fun and education.
If you haven’t been to Second Chance, Inc.’s 200,000-square-foot warehouse near the M&T Bank Stadium, you’ve been missing out. Founded in 2001 by Mark Foster, Second Chance has a three-part mission: Providing workforce development to those who face significant job barriers, keeping construction debris out of our landfill, and running the coolest building supply and materials store around. (Yes, I’m a fan, as you’ll see in my brag photos below).
Last month, Second Chance hosted a Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) communication team retreat. You’ve heard of CBF, the biggest nonprofit determined to cleanup and save our beautiful Chesapeake Bay. The retreat was last-minute, and Second Chance went out of their way to make the day special. CBF was impressed by not only their host’s enthusiasm for their operation, but also Second Chance’s strong commitment to environmental stewardship. As a thank you, CBF hosted ten Second Chance employees on their Snow Goose boat. CBF also created the short video above.
The Snow Goose is a former watermen’s workboat adopted for CBF’s Baltimore Harbor environmental education program. Every year, thousands of students and teachers cruise the harbor to learn about the Inner Harbor’s ecosystems, as well as the sewage and pollution challenges facing our waterways.
As you can see from the photo above, the boat trip was enlightening! Pete Theodore, Second Chance’s communication manager, said the trip was a ton of much-needed fun. The boat ride also gave the team a broader picture and a chance to see the purpose of their work. Interestingly, Theodore added, “Second Chance’s founder Mark Foster participated in a high school CBF internship. That’s where he caught his environmental bug.” All things come full circle.
Many of Second Chance’s upcoming green projects are ones that you can also tackle at your humble abode. The company has an internal “green team” that has maxed out its recycling efforts. The teams now separate and recycle everything possible. Second Chance’s large asphalt parking lot will soon be redeveloped into a stormwater-friendly lot with rain gardens, rain bioswales, and native plantings. Massive amounts of rain run off Second Chance’s five-acre roof.
And, you guessed right: With such a large roof, solar panels will eventually be converting the sun’s energy into emission-free electricity for the warehouse.
I’m a Second Chance customer. Check out the tables and bench that Mark, our carpenter, made from Second Chance reclaimed materials for my eco-friendly basement project. That’s another story…
