A local scheme called Stuff for Free is using unwanted Xmas gifts to make other people's worlds a slightly better place, and was featured on the BBC last weekend which you can watch for yourselves here. A local reader writes in to alert me of the scheme, which is sponsored by the national charity Healthy Planet.
As with all of the best ieas, it's amazingly simple - people use it to leave stuff they don't want, the charity sorts through it all and give it to people who need it.
In January and February, Healthy Planet is offering a great opportunity to donate (and later, take for free) unwanted Christmas presents and help the environment at the same time - at their new Stuff for Free events.
Healthy Planet's Stuff for Free is a giant community reuse event - helping redistribute good quality stuff to a new home, where it will be valued.
What's more, you'll be helping the environment. By re-using things instead of throwing them away, you'll be helping to save landfill space, reduce fly tipping and save valuable resources.
Healthy Planet say their mission is to champion new and grassroot green and healthy causes, by giving community initiatives the space and voice they need. A good start, I think you'll agree - more info on how to take part here.
The only problem is, FreeCycle already do this... quite well.
ReplyDeleteBlimey. There are way too many negative Shepherds using this site and it's a real turn-off. You give someone a gift-horse and they look it in the mouth. Whether it be homes, shops, parks, buses, schools, markets, trees... or websites. They just don't like anything new!
ReplyDeleteYes FreeCycle already do this. But why on earth is that 'a problem'?
Isn't there room for other people in your world?
I couldn't agree more - miserable blaggards!
ReplyDeleteWell, it makes it harder to find things as it dilutes the market. I know that's a bit of an argument against the free marketplace, but if people switch from Freecycle then that makes it harder for me to shift my stuff. It also means I have to look in more places when I need something. So generally, it's a good idea but it makes the overall concept less efficient...
ReplyDeleteYou just about scrape through with that one. But lighten up folks. The future's bright!
ReplyDelete-And someone's going to say no it's orange, and orange are just out to make money, you must have shares in orange, so no new phones they should be banned, because everyone around here thinks phones are evil money-making machines that want to bankrupt ordinary people etc etc etc. Yawn.
There is also the www.anygoodtoyou.com site which also helps to find homes for unwanted stuff. Choice is good.
ReplyDeleteMs B L'Agarde
Well said Ms L'A.
ReplyDeleteS. Coundrelle