Freecycle is it corrupt??

angelatgraceland

Ken68 wrote: »

The worthiest are the poorest, who wouldn't have a car, and probably not a computer and maybe not internet savvy anyway.
Guessing now , the disadvantaged would get free stuff or cheap stuff from SOFA and the like or from charity shops.
I don't know if the groups keep statistics but would think a lot of freecycled stuff is not collected, too big to cart or too far to collect a small item.In the latter case tis good news for the environment.

No-statistics are not kept by group owners. It is not for us to judge who is most "worthy" and who knows that anyhow? Being on benefits does not make you poor any more than being a working person makes you rich! It is all down to individual circumstances. Ive been in the situation of 2 working parents-no benefits but worse off than those on benefits (in general). We worked because it was the "right" thing to do.
Freecycle is about keeping items out of landfill. It is about your beliefs and care with regard to the future of the planet. Do "poor people" care more than "better off" people??? Not from what I have seen-it is varied and does not go according to wealth or class. Poor people don't have cars??? Take a look around your local council estate. Charity shops are almost as expensive and sometimes more so than ordinary shops!!! I'm sorry-but I think you are somewhat misinformed. The people on the lowest incomes often rely on the latest mobile phone which has internet access! These phones are top of the list with some people.
Please don't try to bring judgement into "giving"-"gifting". Because someone is poor does not mean they are uneducated. Many poor people have internet access even if they do not have their own computer. The library is free after all.
I try to give my items to the person who can make most use of them, will be able to collect them, offers the occassional item,and hopefully gives me a contact number(this shows genuine interest-grabbers never bother)
Freecycles rules tell moderators and members not to "judge". Who are we to consider who is deserving? I don't decide on that criteria. Some items I have delivered if Ive been in the area-if I think the person will really appreciate the item and cannot collect.But that is "my " choice-I don't expect everyone to think the same as me.

angelatgraceland

missyg wrote: »

I'd like a slightly more sophisticated system too with at least an opportunity to "black mark" people who ask for something you've offered but then they ignore subsequent emails (leaving you in limbo with perhaps a big item hanging around), or don't turn up at all.

I wonder if there is any way to do something like this within Yahoo groups, so that people can refer to it if they want to, but it doesn't get emailed to everyone?

Report such incidences to the group owner. If everyone does this it can be dealt with.

saveapenny

I have stopped listing things now because I was sick of waiting for people to collect.
If I have things that people want I offer it them if it was going to the tip/charity shop anyway.

I have requested things the odd time but very rarely do I get offers.

I used to offer things all the time and at first i used to give it to the fist email I got back, But that didnt last long when people did collect things mostly I never got even a thank you.

I did ask 1 guy how he intended on collecting some wardobes when my mom died he said he would come in his works van...when he turned up it was a house clearnace van. I was well ****** off and told him were to go
I called age concern in the end and gave everything to them

Ken68

Not sure, Angelatgraceland, how Freecycle works at the group level. Do you have to buy the site?. What about your time/computer/electric expenses?. Do the moderators get paid?.

davie24

Moderators do not get paid.It is a voluntary role and as such you donate your time,electricity etc.
I can spend several hours a day moderating our group.

cazziebo

There is someone on our group looking for a Nintendo wii - 'preferably with games" !! :eek:

I take the argument that it all saves landfill. However, I would rather my stuff went to someone who needed it and was therefore saving money, than someone doing a black market job at boot sales. I've met some lovely people - just out of army, or left an abusive relationship, people just trying to get a home together and that's expensive whatever your situation.

originalbob

Was a member of Freecycle in the Blackpool for a short while,as am trying to rebuild and refurnish following a very bad divorce.What I have in the way of furnture has mostly been scrounged from friends and lifted from skips.Experience of Freecycle wasn't great.Didnt have anything that i could spare to offer, and put up a post looking for something.Post got immediately rejected by the moderator,stating that you had to put up an offer for something first before putting up a want (rules had been changed without telling anybody as a new area moderator had taken over the group).Thanked the moderator,pointing out my situation, and they never even bothered to reply.Left the group shortly thereafter, and have gone back to keeping an eye on skips when the local hotels refurbish at the end of the season.

sukysue

I went to look at something on Freecycle and was most disappointed the stuff was filthy and the woman was obviously thinking she was doing someone a great service by offering the stuff. I politely but firmly refused and said it was too big for my house. I took her a box of nice chocs too incase I had taken the stuff.It totally put me off .other times I emailed straight away to ads only to have my emails ignored so have decided not to bother with Freecycle just think it isn't worth the bother.

HeyBigSpender

Although in theory it doesn’t matter if someone picking up your stuff is going to sell it on, it does if they pretend they need it for themselves and muck up your emotions with a sob story. I hope the lady with a family of small children who was in desperate need of my nearly new cooker is using it now, but have to admit that I did a double take when two strapping young men arrived to collect it in an expensive well proportioned saloon car. And the man who collected the children’s toys almost certainly didn’t need them as much as he claimed to in the email. There wasn’t even a child’s seat in the car. (Again, a saloon. Funny that.)

Cynicism aside, I have had great experiences with Freecycle. My daughter is delighted with the old climbing frame that someone needed removed from their garden. Win-win all round. I would probably use freecycle more if I had a car, as some things that I need (e.g. a land-phone) come up quite regularly and some of them must end up in landfill.

Thumbs up and thanks are due to those volunteers who run it (and Realcycle). It is a great service despite the inevitable deceptions and misgivings. :T

got-it-spend-it

I list on Freecycle but don't expect to be able to make a judgement on the worthiness of the person who wants the items! I offer something I don't want, and someone takes it for whatever reason. It's about recycling not moral judgement!

As for having stats on quantities offered and wanted, that wouldn't really work as surely you do not necessarily have the same number of needs and wants! Someone moving into their first home may need a great deal, whereas someone downsizing, or renovating may have much to offer. It doesn't make either of them better or worse than the other!

I do admit that I would be a little annoyed is a house clearance business wanted to take my stuff, but if I had no other takers then it's still better than going to landfill!

Lucy