bizperc Member Named One of America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs of 2012

Nathan Benjamin and Willow Lundgren of PlanetReuse.

Photo: Bloomberg Businessweek

Last week, BloombergBusinessweek announced bizperc member PlanetReuse as one of America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs of 2012.  The Kansas City startup has been honored because of its scope, impact and sustainability efforts (and beat out over 300 other social companies to be placed in the Top 25!).


"We're honored to be among so many amazing companies doing impactful work around the globe," says Nathan Benjamin, Founder of PlanetReuse. "We see our business and ourselves as instruments for building a more sustainable future.   It's great to see Bloomberg Businessweek spotlight all kinds of social entrepreneurs who are similarly driven."

PlanetReuse is dedicated to decreasing the amount of waste going into landfills.  According to the Building Materials Reuse Association, housing and building construction and demolition waste account for 40% of what's going into America's landfills.  PlanetReuse's goal is to shrink this number to 30% by 2020.  In order to do so, PlanetReuse collaborates with commercial architects, contractors and building owners to reclaim and extend the life of building materials in new projects.  

For the residential building industry, PlanetReuse is beta testing a technology platform,  PlanetReuse Marketplace powered by InvenQuery, that will showcase inventories from reuse centers across the country with the aim of making it as easy to shop online for used materials, as it is to shop for new materials.  

"Being a facilitator of positive change in the world isn't just the domain of non-profits and public institutions," says Willow Lundgren, PlanetReuse's Chief of Strategy.  "We believe--and there are studies to back this up-- that the most successful for-profit businesses are those that consider economic, environmental and social impact."

PlanetReuse is looking for YOUR vote to become the final five of America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneur from the 25 on the list.  Vote for PlanetReuse here and become a part of this movement!  A big congratulations to PlanetReuse for making it into the Top 25.  Now, it's up to us to see that the KC-based company takes the title!  Vote today.  

Follow PlanetReuse: @PlanetReuse

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