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Author
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Topic: Freecycling - exchanging stuff without cash
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Mr. Magoo
guilty-pleasure
Babbler # 3469
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posted 26 October 2004 11:02 AM
Right now we usually exploit our proximity to Goodwill when we have too much of something, but this sounds interesting. Like a garage sale but without the small nominal costs.  Are you a member, Lagatta? And if so, how is it working for you?
From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002
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Mr. Magoo
guilty-pleasure
Babbler # 3469
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posted 26 October 2004 12:00 PM
In our building, anything unloved ends up in the laundry room, free for the taking.When I was a photography student there was a table near the equipment cage that was understood to be similar. If it's on the table, take it. If you have something of use that you don't want, put it on the table. This worked very well.
From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002
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shaolin
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4270
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posted 26 October 2004 03:30 PM
When I lived in Edinburgh last year I was very involved in an amazing not-for-profit, self-funding community arts cafe. The project is funded, quite successfully, through sales from drinks and food (vegetarian and as locally and ethically sourced as possible!) and is made possible by the hard work of all the volunteers who take shifts behind the counter, keep up on the accounts, take care of the repairs and share whatever other skills they might have. It also strives to make itself and the community as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible - recycling efforts far surpass the average UK business, old paper and cardboard and other disposable items are saved for rubbish art and 'skip' or dumpster diving expeditions often take place to find things the cafe needs - a new couch, wood for the studio downstairs, etc. [Sorry, I'm off topic. I get really excited when I talk about The Forest - check out the website if you want to know more.] ANYWAY...in keeping with this spirit, space was put aside in the building for a 'free shop' - a take what you need, leave what you don't drop off where formerly loved items meet new owners. It's hugely successful and as word about it has grown, so has the turnover and quality of items. Also, because of the nature of the environment, many items you wouldn't think of as being useful get turned into wonderful art! My university PIRG has a similar space which I help keep tidy and advertise the existence of around campus. It's not just a way of freecycling, but promoting it helps raise awareness of alternatives to consumerism in a campus culture that all too often just doesn't care.
From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jul 2003
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Mr. Magoo
guilty-pleasure
Babbler # 3469
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posted 26 October 2004 03:59 PM
Mrs. Magoo and I were briefly members of LETS, another barter/currency type of organization. The problem there was that before you could get anything you had to have something to give, and unfortunately whatever you could give nearly had to be "service only", so there were lots of ads for people who were willing to type your essays or give you a massage, but things like "paint your house" were less common, since that also involves paint! It also left us with few services to offer. More "I can fix your computer" stuff, and maybe some proofreading or similar. It just didn't work out that well for us.But if I can get free stuff for the asking, and if strangers will come by and pick up my junk, that sounds win-win!
From: ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°°¤ø, | Registered: Dec 2002
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