For avid recyclers and freecyclers and LETS enthusiasts

HOLsale · 24 April 2005 at 12:03AM

i've just created a forum specifically to incorporate recycling, freecycling, batering and swapping/selling all for free and all in one place.

the name of the forum is UK X-Change http://ukxchange.proboards39.com/index.cgi and it was inspired by two yahoo groups i started a few years ago.

when i was pregnant with my dd (now 3+) i started a yahoo group called Frugal Genius UK. over the years we spawned a few sister groups two of which were the precursors to this forum (which i've been meaning to get around to for ages )

Frugal Genius Buy/Sell/Trade Forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FGbuyselltrade/?yguid=9350412

For Postage Only UK
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ForPostageOnlyUK/?yguid=9350412

i must admit that i have neglected them both for the last year or so (it's been a rough year) but the lovely members have kept them going.

i just never felt they got enough attention and it has always been my intention to make swapping and recycling in the uk a vibrant and brisk paced activity so that's why i created this forum. i'm hoping this will enhance what was started with the two groups above, thank you to everyone that has helped with them, you're very much appreciated

now i'm trying to do my best to get as many people involved with the site as possible. the site is 100% FREE to use though you'll need to register if you want to post and see all the categories. Right now the main focus is on recycling via swapping and selling with a board dedicated to recycling. i hope to get as many people as possible really thinking about their waste and about ways they can reuse and recycle!

the site just started this afternoon so i could use some constructive criticism and suggestions as well, thanks for your time

:j :j :j

moggins · 24 April 2005 at 10:10AM

It looks very good, I've registered and added it to my favourites, nothing to post on it at the moment though.

HOLsale · 24 April 2005 at 12:18PM

thanks moggins

it'll probably take a few months before it's really moving but i'm hoping to get a lot of attention as i think this could be a really convenient way to get people interested in reuse and also in the other sites like freecycle and the LETS scheme... most people have never heard of them so if they find out via the forum well that's great!

HOLsale · 26 April 2005 at 9:09PM

Just to let you know we are now up to 34 members and people are starting to post.

free for collection you'll find a bunk bed, free stamps for your choice of charity and computers! they are old but could be really good for your kids... come on have a look!

chickadee · 26 April 2005 at 11:27PM

Well done. Hope the new site kicks off well. We must start doing this if we care for the planet and want our children to have a future.

As a by-product we can call a halt to the consumer culture of this country. It is so sad to see that shopping is now a pastime for millions of people. Can't people use their imagination any more?

Trouble is, we can only make a small dent. We need the USA to think about recycling, reducing energy usage, etc. That will take some doing.

HOLsale · 27 April 2005 at 1:48AM

couldn't agree with you more!

even here in the uk we throw away something like 80% of our recyclable rubbish... that's right, the stuff that we CAN recycle :eek:

it doesn't help that a lot of the big cities don't even have an acceptable recycling program. doorstep recycling is the only way to get the masses doing it. personally i think a small financial incentive would be good, perhaps a percentage off their council bill for a certain amount of recycling, unfortunately it would be very difficult to monitor...

we are fortunate here that the univ of edinburgh is very progressive. at the family flats where we live they have paper recycling bins. but a 2 minute walk away at pollock halls they have paper, aluminium, glass, clothing and carboard i believe. they have at least 3 of these banks set up on the grounds of pollock halls, great job! people are lazy, if it's not close by most of them won't do it. they strategically placed the recycling areas right out front in a prominent site so they are constantly walked past in 2 of the locations (the 3rd is by the bike sheds so somewhat prominent).

i think eco education should be a required subject at school. i also think it's time that the rest of the world stopped bending to the US's will and bullied them into cooperating with lowering emissisions and other waste reduction programs... i'm an ex pat and i'm disgusted with them too :mad:

tiff · 27 April 2005 at 1:09PM

chickadee wrote:

Well done. Hope the new site kicks off well. We must start doing this if we care for the planet and want our children to have a future.

As a by-product we can call a halt to the consumer culture of this country. It is so sad to see that shopping is now a pastime for millions of people. Can't people use their imagination any more?

Trouble is, we can only make a small dent. We need the USA to think about recycling, reducing energy usage, etc. That will take some doing.

Actually when I lived in North Carolina 7 years ago they were quite into recycling where I lived. The house we rented had 3 bins in the kitchen for recycling and other people we met did the same. Its what started me off when we came back to this country.

Murtle · 27 April 2005 at 2:24PM

didn't the US start off the freecycle thing...can't remember it's proper name, but you can join up to it and get emails from local people that offer things they want to get rid of....

I think the UK are pretty naff at recyling generally - i live in a block of flats, and we must have 20something bins out the front!!! No recycling ones though....you'd have thought in flats it would be ideal as we could fill them up so quickly.....

HOLsale · 27 April 2005 at 4:47PM

tiff wrote:

Actually when I lived in North Carolina 7 years ago they were quite into recycling where I lived. The house we rented had 3 bins in the kitchen for recycling and other people we met did the same. Its what started me off when we came back to this country.

hmmm maybe it's just that part of the states, i'm an ex pat as i mentioned and i've only been away for 6 years and most people didn't do much recycling in texas where i lived nor the midwest where my family and friends were...

i do think that some areas will always be better than most regardless of where you live but america is very much a disposable nation

HOLsale · 27 April 2005 at 4:53PM

Murtle wrote:

didn't the US start off the freecycle thing...can't remember it's proper name, but you can join up to it and get emails from local people that offer things they want to get rid of....

I think the UK are pretty naff at recyling generally - i live in a block of flats, and we must have 20something bins out the front!!! No recycling ones though....you'd have thought in flats it would be ideal as we could fill them up so quickly.....

yes, it started in tuscon arizona the links are here

Main Site
http://www.freecycle.org

International Listings
http://www.freecycle.org/display.php?region=International

i've got links for this organisation and several others in the vein on the forum you see in my signature

don't get me wrong, there are plenty of americans that do recycle (and there's a LOT more americans than brits) BUT not enough do and the attitude about waste is poor. i got so tired of the 'god given right' attitude of many an american about what they can and cannot do in life in general. i never felt comfortable in my own skin in the US and felt like i'd been reborn at 28 when i moved to scotland. the people here seem to 'get it'!

i actually have friends and family that feel sorry for me living in such an expensive country, i mean, i must be poor if i don't have a car, probably because petrol is so expensive. what they fail to realise is that i CHOSE to get rid of the car and that i'm much happier without it. AND most importantly, that i feel sorry for THEM living in a country where everything is so cheap that they feel it's everyones given right to use them no matter how destructive they are (this goes for all pollutants not just petrol)

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For avid recyclers and freecyclers and LETS enthusiasts

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