IrishEyes Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Has anyone else in the US heard of this? Someone just introduced me to this idea, and I think it's great!If you're not familiar with the idea, basically, in 2003, a group of Arizona earth-friendly types started this group/list with the intent of reducing items headed for the landfill. You can log on to the website site (it's a dot org kinda place :Waldo: ) and select your location. Then you can join a group. People place 'offers' of stuff, ranging from home gyms, to cars, to coffee cups, anything that they are ready to get rid of, really. If you're interested, you send the person an e-mail, explaining why you want the item. The offerer gets to choose who the item goes to, and the new owner comes and picks it up. You can also post a 'wanted' and give others the chance to help you out.I'm wondering what you guys think of an idea like this. I've explained it so some friends as 'like e-bay, but FREE!' it seems like a great idea to me, especially since I love e-bay, but this doesn't require my credit card. However, I'm wondering what some of you capitalist minds think of this idea. Would it be possible to base a society on this type of idea? Couldn't we just have a big website where people post the stuff that they no longer need, and people post the stuff that they really need, and they can help each other out? Seems so simple, too simple really, huh? But that's the beauty of it to me. Of course, so many people are loathe to take anything that has already been used, that i'm sure many would find this horrible. But I think it's an interesting concept. Anyone??? Racoon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Yeah, but you got to go to Arizona to pick it up "free".. :Waldo: Thats Hundreds in Gas, and I'm trying to be Ecological as well! Sorry Irish, Re-read your thread..,We Can start this up in our Home Communities!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishEyes Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Yeah, but you got to go to Arizona to pick it up "free".. :Waldo: Thats Hundreds in Gas, and I'm trying to be Ecological as well! Sorry Irish, Re-read your thread..,We Can start this up in our Home Communities!!Uh, hello. That's the point of checking out the website. There are thousands of these sites that are now active, all over the country.I'm guessing you were verging on sarcasm with the 'pick it up in Arizona' and 're-read your thread' comments. My question was if this type of site/service could actually thrive in this ultra-capitalist society. It has seen some growth in the past few years, but it is still basically a grass-roots effort. It doesn't seem to have a lot of advertising at all, but it seems like a very decent idea. Why can't we have more of this around? You help me, I help you, with only the benefit of knowing we helped each other as our reward/payment... Seems very nice to me, but is it realistic on a wide scale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 However the term 'Free' will come with a Shipping and Handling charge.. It is a good Idea IrishEyes! :Waldo: I guess I'll be like Turtle and try and rid myself too of unneccessary junk.Point me to the hippies so I can dispose of it, If indeed they might want it. Ones man's Trash, is another mans treasure.Why don't we just bury it forever? Don't listen to Racoon, For I know not what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I think it finally sunk into my incredibly dense cranium.. I got an object, or something.. (hypothetical)But I don't want to throw it away... Because that would add to the landfiil, which we would rather empty. So I post it like on an E-Bay.. ( 'cept its free! )Then someone nearby finds it, wants to keep/rescue it, They take it home, and re-use it/enjoy it Therefore no Waste,?! :Waldo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishEyes Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 You got it, 'coon! that's exactly right.There are sites all over. You post the stuff you don't want. Someone else wants it. They send you an e-mail. You arrange to have them pick it up (at your house, or at a neutral location). They get the goods, you get rid of the goods, less junk in the landfill, everybody wins. I knew you'd come around. :Waldo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Well then, Butter My Butt and call me a bisquit! :Waldo: I got a Nikola Tesla Posterboard of his life achievements, some photos, and His US Patents; Which I have already been graded on, and would like to get rid of... :Waldo: It was displayed for over 3 quarters at Clark College, Anna Pechanec Hall!Its probably around 2 ft. X 3 ft.! Got any takers??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 ___I do think this kind of things works, but conditionally. As Racoon pointed out, the economics is a rather important consideration. If the resources required to trade the stuff excedes the resources required to put it in a landfill, then it's a losing proposition. ___Semi topical, why isn't our classifieds section on the Menu Bar yet? It is a Hypographical Free-Cycle zone in its own right.http://hypography.com/forums/hyporium/ :eek2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigDog Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 My house is sinking into the earth from the sheer mass of "freecycle" crap that my wife thinks we need. I live in a black hole that attracts other peoples old ****. I end up taking it all to the landfill periodically. "She's just a girl who can't say no..." Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfiniteNow Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 She's just a girl who can't say no..." And that's why you married her! :eek2: Wink wink, nudge nudge. "A nudge is as good as a wink to a blind man." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigDog Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 And that's why you married her! :eek2: Wink wink, nudge nudge. "A nudge is as good as a wink to a blind man.""Say no more!" I think she was attracted to my silly walk. But you need a silly walk when you are stepping over piles of broken, uh... yeah, and trying not to fall and break your ***. (is my sense of frustration showing?) Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywyze Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 You can't suspend the law of supply and demand. Therefore: Freecycle will only ever be a good way to get rid of junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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