An Essential Part of Sustainable Computing has to be Freecycle.org

Imagine if all the items on eBay were being given away completely free. Sounds too good to be true? Well you can stop dreaming because this is actually a reality. The only catch is that you normally have to go and collect the item, but apart from that it is a fantastic way of getting your hands on second hand bits and bobs.

Due to the nature at how fast the home computer becomes outdated, some of the best things to be had are PCs. Typically you will find hardware that is around 3-5 years old, which is perfectly adequate for surfing the web, word processing, or emailing. Sometimes items are newer, but need to be repaired. If you fancy yourself as a bit handy with gadgets you might just net your self a nice bit of kit.

The most astonishing thing I have found is just what you can shift on Freecycle.org. You can list items that you think that nobody would possibly want, but normally someone always takes it. Items such as a 10GB hard drive, a 15 inch CRT monitor, or a Pentium 2 PC, are regularly shifted. These might sound like worthless items, but apparently some people are less fussy than others. When you use a computer for hours on end, a 15 inch screen would start to be a bit annoying. But for some people they only use a computer for a few minutes, say to look up a train time table. For those users, a low spec PC is perfectly adequate.

One word of warning about Freecycle.org is that sometimes takers fail to show up. I have heard complaints from Freecyclers who quickly become frustrated after their time has been repeatedly wasted. Because of this it is a good idea to not to stay in especially, waiting for people to collect. You can even have items collected when you are going to be out; just leave the item in a plastic bag outside your home. Be careful not to say you are going to be out – this might put you at risk to burglars. Just say, “Sometimes don’t hear the door bell, so I’ll leave it outside the front door”.