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Freecycle "Too much work?"
danny_galaga:
--- Quote from: ChadTower on July 29, 2011, 09:41:52 am ---
Yeah, when done to the "Freecycle standards" they try to cap each group around 30,000 people. My group actually covers three towns because they are less than 10,000 people each.
--- End quote ---
Ha, that's funny. Maybe it's because Aussies are less generous, or not such bargain hunters, but the split into two for my town makes it about 500,000 for each group...
ChadTower:
It's probably more like a lack of volunteers to run more localized groups. Each group is started by someone who came forward themself and applied to Freecycle for approval to use their name. If that has only happened twice in your million people city then you end up with 500,000 people groups.
danny_galaga:
--- Quote from: ChadTower on August 03, 2011, 09:18:14 am ---
It's probably more like a lack of volunteers to run more localized groups. Each group is started by someone who came forward themself and applied to Freecycle for approval to use their name. If that has only happened twice in your million people city then you end up with 500,000 people groups.
--- End quote ---
Ah, makes sense...
RyoriNoTetsujin:
--- Quote from: BobA on July 27, 2011, 11:02:14 pm ---...
At this point I am thinking it might just be easier to garbage the unit. Do people who figure it is free think that they have no commitment to show up?
I am spending more time on an item I could just garbage and save the effort. :angry:
Edit: By garbage I mean electronics recycle that our city offers. It does not go to landfill. :D
--- End quote ---
I don't know where you live, but here in NYC, which is a bit of a madhouse generally, the key is to be very specific in your requirements, and then to stick to it. (Minor disclosure: My gf is a mod for the Manhattan Freecycle group.) Set out what it is, when people can pick it up, and what your communication requirements are to be considered. Here's a little trick the gf taught me: require responders to send an email to a DIFFERENT email address than that of the original post (create a junk email address for yourself for this purpose) with their phone number and specific time they would pick up. Don't list the email address until the end of the post. Also specify, once confirmed, NO CHANGES. If you don't pick up, it goes to the next person.
In my experience, that's usually just enough work (for the responder) to easily weed out morons that don't read, and get you to someone who actually wants/can use the item. If nobody bites, Goodwill is your friend indeed.
New Yorkers respond to brusque efficiency. Your mileage may vary. ;D
theredlineboss:
My local freecycle site is littered with want ads and people offering coupons from the Sunday paper. I rarely go there anymore, but when I do, it's always the same. :banghead:
Now, I had a decent couch that I wanted to give away, so I listed it in the free section of Craigslist. I got interest, but when excuses started to fly, I sent an email to the 6 people who had inquired, saying it was out on my lawn & they are welcome to get it. Left home & it was gone when I came back. ;D That said, the stupidity I ran across with this basically soured me on offering stuff for free. So when I had to dispose of some older PC's (mostly P3's), I took them all to the dump. Not much of a loss, but it goes against the grain to just dispose of stuff like that without at least asking if anyone wants it. :D
-Rob
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