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Reduce, reuse, recycle = trade, barter, free
Reduce, reuse, recycle - and shopping local - not only helps save the planet, it helps save you money, which is a concern for many, whether the economy is questionable or not. With the concepts of trade, barter and free exchange alive and well, resources like Craigs List, Freecycle and the new Dibspace are the perfect online community resources to help you give and get the stuff and services you need and want at no monetary cost to you, whilst also helping to make a lesser impact on the planet!
Green living isn't all about composting, using the right products, mass transit, etc. Sometimes it's about sharing resources and, often, about re-using. One person's trash is another person's treasure. Supporting local small businesses helps stimulate local economy and keeps the environmental footprint smaller as well. How can YOU make a difference, whilst also getting what you need and want, using the following resources?
Craig's List
Not only is there great stuff for sale here -- reuse DOES equal recycle! -- don't forget the "exchange" and the "free" section. Go to Craigs List, find your city, and type in what you're looking for...or what you want to get rid of.
Who knows, you might get something you need (think cash, a sofa, rhubarb, a service) for something you aren't going to use any more (that old water barrell, kids toys, your jeans that don't fit any more because you toned up for the summer!).
Freecycle
Freecycle has regional groups as well. Listings are formatted as WANTED and OFFERRED, followed by the neighborhood where you are located so people can "shop" as close to home as they want. A friend's brother out on Vashon just found 500 feet of free wire fencing for his garden (to keep the deer out) that a company was going to have to PAY to have hauled away... it's a win/win!
Dibspace
This just came on the scene recently, is in beta version, and is working better than any community dollar system ever has! With over 900 offers on the board and the opportunity to list your wants as well, the dibit system is changing the lives of small businesses and individuals.
Dibspace is like bartering, but better, because you aren't limited to the direct service or item barter with one person. You join for free (contact me for an invite, because I get extra credit), then you list your offers, be it your services or something you want to sell.
For example, you might offer garden starts, a gently used sofa, dog sitting or interior decorating. Someone "dibs" on your offer, and if you agree to do business together, you earn credits, or "dibits" (generally 1 dibit = $1 in value), to use elsewhere within the Dibspace community. A friend is offering a romantic canoe trip...and he's using his earned dibits from that to buy a couple of Italian dinners at a local restaurant! The more people offering goods and services...the better it becomes!
Straight bartering
This is probably the hardest to remember, but it's really the way all payment started. The next time you need something, especially a service, don't be afraid to ask if they're interested in getting "payment in kind" (a service for a service) OR payment with an item.
For example, one friend recently needed a car for his daughter. He had an old junky car he couldn't fix cluttering up his yard, and some Navajo jewelry his ex didn't want cluttering up his drawer and his memory. He found a car he liked, and thought "What the heck, I'll ask!" Turns out the seller was also a mechanic, LOVED the junky car, and the seller's wife was big into turquoise and silver. Result? A good car for his kid, an empty spot in his yard, and somewhere out there is now a happy wife with stylish new turquoise bling! Net cost to him for a car for his kid (instead of the $2000 he was looking at)? Just $89 for the title transfer!
So you see, greener living does help save you money, even in the most simplest of ways. Reduce, reuse, recycle does equal trade, barter and free stuff!
Today's article was written with the inspirational contribution of colleague Dave Kuhns of Cyranowriter. If you need writing, content, editing or local SEO assistance, contact Dave at Cyranowriter. He also writes great custom romantic poetry to assist you in wooing the one you love!
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