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Small Business of the Year from Circular Arizona
April 6, 2025
In February Originate was awarded Small Business of the Year by Circular Arizona!
Circular Arizona is a nonprofit dedicated to recycling, reuse, reduction, and other circular economy initiatives—principles that are at the heart of what we do. We were nominated by the City of Tucson Department of Environmental Services, and we had no idea until we got the call that we had WON!
Circularity is an economic model designed to eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible. The goal of circularity is to create a system where materials are continuously reused, minimizing the need for new resources and reducing waste. In a circular economy, waste is defined as a resource.
https://circulararizona.org/circularity-vs-recycling
This award specifically recognizes our Architectural Salvage Yard, which has grown significantly since we moved to Main Avenue nearly 9 years ago. While we always carried salvaged materials, having an entire building dedicated to preserving historic doors, windows, light fixtures, hardware, and quality wood has allowed us to divert even more construction waste from the landfill.
This is a personal passion of Natasha’s. She grew up in an 1800s farmhouse in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, surrounded by vintage building materials from 6 weeks old and on. Salvage is not just about sustainability; it’s about preserving history and giving materials a second life.
Check out this blog post Kate and Natasha wrote together after Natasha’s talk with Odyssey Storytelling — it’s all about the stories behind our salvage!
