Recycling !!

It is very much in our minds to recycle whatever we can in the refit, hence saving the old timber for the wood burner in the winter.
I am very fortunate in my job, travelling the south of England to survey for new signs to existing, new, and refurbished buildings, including banks, gyms and fast-food outlets. Normally every one of these sites has a skip for rubbish and materials no longer needed.
A bank had a hoarding around it during it's 4 week refurb, made of 6'' x 2'' timber in 12' lengths. The site agent told me that it was being skipped on completion. All I had to do was turn up and help them remove it, helping myself to some 250' of good timber !! This has been used to build the steps onto the roof, the new wheelhouse structure and roof, as well as a staircase up to the boat as it stands on the hard. At least the dog can now get herself on board, instead of carrying her up a ladder.
Next came a refurb on a gym. A young lad was busy with a wheelbarrow, back and forth to a skip, they were throwing away all the cast-iron weights and barbells, as the new are rubber-covered. Hence we acquired the extra ballast we need for the boat.
Another skip at a gym provided 2 boxes of expensive acoustic insulation which has insulated all of the wheelhouse roof and most of the saloon roof.
Yet another gym, whose large hanging signs in their atrium, were being replaced, provided 8 off 10' x 8' sheets of 10mm foamex which has been used for hull insulation and the initial lining for the wheelhouse which was then skinned with ply.
Another bank took over an office block and stripped the carpet tiles, as they have to have their corporate coloured tiles. The old, which were in good condition, completely filled a skip. After loading about 200, I thought I had enough.
I hasten to add, that in every case, the site agents were asked if i could forage in the skips, as yet I have never been turned down !