"The Bronx Community Paper Company teaches us that we have the power, if we muster the will, creativity, and cooperation, to recover lost pieces ofAmerica's environment, return them to good health, protect other lands andresources from being destroyed, and even create environmentally friendly jobs in the process." -President Bill Clinton<P> In 1991, frustrated by the failure of lawmakers to produce meaningful progress on environmental issues, Allen Hershkowitz, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) opted for an innovative approach. Resolving to put market forces to wok for the environment, Hershkowitz devised a plan to develop a world-scale recycled-paper mill on the site ofan abandoned rail yard in the South Bronx.<P> Created in collaboration with colleagues at NRDC, the private sector, government, unions, and community groups, and with a building designed by renowned architect and designer Maya Lin, the Bronx Community Paper Company (BCPC) was intended to put the ideas of industrial ecology to workin a project that not only avoided exacerbating environmental problems butactually remediated them. One of the primary goals of the project was to show that environmental protection, job production, social assistance, economic development, and private-sector profitability can work together in a mutually supportive fashion.<P> Unfortunately, it didn't quite turn out like that.<P> In Bronx Ecology, Hershkowitz tells the story of the BCPC from its earliest inception to its final demise nearly ten years later. He describes the technical, economic, and competitive barriers that arose throughout the project as well as the decisive political and legal blows that doomed their efforts to secure financing, ultimately killing the project.<P> Interwoven with the BCPC tale is Hershkowitz's vision for a new, engaged environmentalism, complete with principles for a new era of industrial development that combines social and environmental responsibilit

In 1991, environmental scientist Hershkowitz decided to transform an abandoned railway yard in the South Bronx into a world-scale recycling mill that would take advantage of the 12,600 tons of paper discarded in New York City daily. Ten years later, without a scrap of paper recycled, he details the technical, economic, and competitive barriers that obstructed the project, as well as the political and legal blows that prevented financing and ultimately killed his project. Hershkowitz, now affiliated with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York City, uses his experience to provide a model for responsible development and entrepreneurial environmentalism, and a guidebook for industrial reform.
Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Allen Hershkowitz is senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York City.

Contents

Foreward, by Maya Lin

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Hopes behind the Bronx Community

Paper Company

The Seeds of Discontent The Rise and Fall of the National

Recycling Act A New Beginning The BCPC

1. A New Blueprint: The Practical Side

of Idealism

Why Government-Dependent Advocacy Is Inadequate

The Prevailing Green Strategies An Industrial-Ecological

Approach Eco-Realism Conclusion

2. The First Step: Choosing A Target

A Dreadful Record of Damaging Impacts The Enormous

Surge in Paper Consumption Upstream Burdens

The Problem with Tree Plantations Downstream

Impacts The Influence of Government Subsidies

Conclusion

3. The Key to a Better Ecological Bottom Line

Raw Materials and String

Using Recycled Raw Materials Why a Brownfield Site

Makes Sense The Challenge of Infrastructure Issues

Conclusion

4. Confronting the Technical and Economic

Facts

The High Cost of Brownfields Cleanup

Permitting and Zoning

Construction-Labor Costs

Managing Water Coping with Energy Expenses

the Difficulties of Using Recycled Raw Materials

Conclusion

Designing the BCPC

Introduction

Working with Maya Lin

Concept Design

Collages

Clearing the Social Market

Understanding the Social Forces Shaping Market

Possibilities The Challenge from Existing Businesses

The Difficulties of Working with Community Groups

The Interests of Local Political Leadership Litigation

Intimidation from Construction Companies The

Impediments That Color Dealing with Unions Dealing

with the Culture of Business

Old-Guard Resistance to

Environmentalists in Business Conclusion

6. Getting Practical: Implementing Industrial

Ecology

Guidelines for the New Industrial Developer Understanding

Systemic Barriers to Sustainability Building Bridges:

The Power of Collaboration Conclusion

7. Forming Partnerships: Moving Part the

Roadblocks

Creating a Development Partnership Choosing

Construction and Engineering Partners

Working with

Investment-Banking Firms Encouraging Community

and Environmental-Group Participation Fostering

Mutual Respect among Collaboration Conclusion

8. Getting Started: What Is to Be Done?

What Environmentalists Can Do Allies Who Can

Help Establishing Mutual Respect and Trust

Index