The explosion of New York City’s real estate market in recent years has meant more than rising rents and increased gentrification. It has also generated a lot of waste, since whenever a building is sold, demolished or remodeled, much of it can wind up in the landfill. Since 2005, though, one NYC-based non-profit has been working to short-circuit this cycle.

Build It Green NYC salvages and re-sells unwanted building materials and housewares from its 17,000 square-foot warehouse in Astoria, Queens. The group, founded three years ago with seed money from the well known developer the Durst Organization, accepts donations from companies and individuals, and also actively partners with developers to reduce their trash bills by taking their waste.

“I’ve been here six months, and production has probably gone up 50 percent,” said Harvey Jaswal, the group’s Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator. “People seem generally willing to keep things moving, rather than throwing them away.”

According to Build It Green’s website, some 16,500 tons of building material are thrown away in New York City every day. The group’s warehouse in Queens offers something for general contractors and eccentric collectors alike, featuring everything from antique marble mantels to used neon bar signs. When I spoke with Jaswal, his team was preparing to strip a building in lower Manhattan of about 30 sinks, tubs, and other bathroom fixtures.

Proceeds from Build it Green go to two other city environmental non-profits, the Community Environmental Center and Solar One, which educates NYC schoolchildren about the potential of solar energy. But in addition to it’s role as a source of funding for these groups, Build It Green also serves as a sort of curator for the underbelly of New York real estate, confirming the old adage that one man’s trash is another’s treasure.

“The craziest thing I’ve ever seen in here is a giant Cadillac made out of straw,” said Jaswal. “We got it from a group that was shooting a Wendy’s commercial, and we decided to keep it to use as a parade float someday.”