freecycle.org

[Crazy Buddhist]

freecycle.org (http://www.freecycle.org/) is superb - if you have never heard of it or used it takke a look - just advertise and give away things you don't want for free - and likewise get what you want for free.

This year I have given away

a TV stand
20 baby Aloe Vera plants

and I have received:

a fax machine
a 3' x 4' wrought Iron glass top coffee table
a 4' x 2' framed print of my favourite painting by Matisse
a small Japanese fine art print of a winter scene
a full dining set
an Acoustic guitar

Money is never involved - and because I am disabled most people even deliver to me for free :) - a lot of computer stuff comes up on it in my area.

"Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,109 groups with 3,853,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!"

[Omega]

I'm a member of my town's freecycle, haven't got anything yet, I almost got a car, but the fuel pump was ****ed and I didn't want to pay to get it fixed.

I've not given away anything yet, either

I will eventually however.

[xmastree]

So far I've received a computer (this one, since been upgraded), a fax machine, a scanner[1] and keyboard. I've given away three answering machines (bought a job lot of phone stuff on ebay for 99p, didn't need it all), a radio/CD player and some wine making equipment.
This morning I am giving away an old computer, and getting a B&O TV[2] in return.

[1] The scanner was faulty, which wasn't mentioned in the advert. I managed to repair it though, by swapping the tube out of another old knackered one I had and also using the PSU from the old one.
[2] The TV comes from a local HiFi shop who is always listing good stuff. He was requesting an old computer, which I have spare. I like to think that my offer of the PC swung his decision as to who gets the TV...

[Crazy Buddhist]

Rarely in our area are people swapping .. it seems to be more pure give-away - anything from furniture to books to VHS recorders .. building materials .. perhaps the networks pick up different flavours in different countries and towns.

Oh yeah .. I forgot got a VHS recorder too :)

I gave away 17 recycled PC's last year but not through freecycle. I live in a really poor part of London - I tend to ask around and give them to families with kids starting secondary (high) school who can not afford one. By definition those people are not on freecycle.

I get them from donations .. I go "great white box hunting" on the streets, and in August each year the local community college skips 1/5th of their machines on a rolling renewal program .. we just go along and empty the skip when they leave for the night - Picked up five PIII's in one evening that way .. they are fine for kids to do homework and surf on.

:)

[xmastree]

Well the swap thing was basically him putting out one 'offered' and one 'wanted' ad. I wanted what he offered, and have what he wants, so it worked out nicely.

[Crazy Buddhist]

sweet :)

[elbarto241]

looks interesting, +rep to crazyb for the link :D

[HackSore]

Thanks for the link CB, tis an awesome site, just got a fantastic scanner today!
Hopefully i'll be able to pass on some stuff i no longer need to people who can make use of it!

[Greco101]

San Diego sucks lol

[Luke122]

A great idea! I'll look into this for sure!

+rep to CrazyB.. err.. after I spread it around.

[Crazy Buddhist]

Thanks for the link CB, tis an awesome site, just got a fantastic scanner today!
Hopefully i'll be able to pass on some stuff i no longer need to people who can make use of it!

thats why I like it ... keeps stuff out of the tip and it's totally ecologically friendly .. stops people buying stuff others don't use which is a HUGE problem:

from Crap Gift Mountain: £881 Million Of Footspa's And Breadmakers (http://freedomforall.net/?s=crap+mountain)

"£881 million of technology, human effort, scarce resources, all wasted. Of course, this is just bread makers and foot-spa's. Think of all the other unwanted gifts and you start to get to very scary numbers. The resource waste is the most appalling aspect. The manufacture of many of these gifts uses energy, water, plastics - oil and precious metals. These are all scarce resources which could, without exception, be used to great benefit elsewhere."

Like in modding computers :D

[xRyokenx]

I'll join this soon, I'm po', meaning I could use some stuff for free that people don't need. :p But yeah, I'm sure I have stuff I don't need around here, somewhere, that I can get rid of.

[HackSore]

thats why I like it ... keeps stuff out of the tip and it's totally ecologically friendly .. stops people buying stuff others don't use which is a HUGE problem.


Yeah, its a fantastic way to do things.
Also in my area, a lot of people seem to be asking for/doing each other favours, which i was really taken aback by, i just thought it was awesome, makes me want to be as charitable as i can!