Senior Brandon Hughes entered in an Instagram contest to win a scholarship. He shared a side of him that most people were unaware of. A side that has been interested in benfiting the environment ever since he was a youth.

“Since the seventh grade, I have been deeply involved with The Rebuild Warehouse (The Recycled Building Network, INC),” Hughes said. “I have always believed in helping out the environment.”

Hughes is a passionate environmentalist who is inspired by his late grandfather who had created two green organizations. 

“My grandfather pioneered the first DeConstruction Company on the East Coast along with the first Bottle Bill in Virginia,” Hughes said. “Together we would regularly attend Green Party meetings which often discussed issues concerning the environment. My grandpa is the person I credit with sparking my sustainable drive.”

Hughes’s grandfather created both The Rebuild Warehouse and the DeConstruction Company. The Rebuild Warehouse would sell used building materials to the public for a third of the cost and gift Boy Scouts lumber.

Hughes was enculturated into this lifestyle via his grandfather and that’s why he is so involved in this field.

“I was very close to my grandpa and was exposed to the idea of sustainability at a young age,” Hughes said.

Now he has found himself in a leadership position at The Rebuild Warehouse where he is in charge of volunteers and he is very enthusiastic about it.

“I am responsible for tracking the hours of volunteers, overseeing operations in the warehouse and training new volunteers,” Hughes said. “I also help customers with locating products as well as answering any questions they might have.”

The Rebuild Warehouse has many different causes that they work for and provide services for.

The goal of the Rebuild Warehouse is to deter the amount of potential material going into landfill as possible.

“Without a clean environment and people who care, the Earth may cease to be a viable place to live,” Hughes said. “What people often don’t realize is that even the smallest of contributions make a difference.”

Hughes wishes to continue his quest to be involved and help clean the Earth.

“In continuing to help non-profit environmentally friendly organizations, I plan on carrying on my grandfather’s legacy while setting a good example for future generations,” Hughes said. “It is important to care for the Earth with the end goal to make it as clean as possible.”