This page is being overseen by the Networking Group

This page is due for Winter 2009/Spring 2010 overhaul to sort it into all the categories of sorting out how we use stuff and skills so that we obtain maximum sharing/value from manufactured stuff/learned skills and minimum ecological harm from production/use/decisions that things are no longer of use:

The categories will be:

• Sharing resources/skills sites known: outside UK, across UK, within a local area of UK (Ranked in approximate order of number of known users)
• 'Freecycling' type sites
• Alternative money type sites
• Recycling etc
• articles about the zeitgeist which have a place beyond the News Stories -Background

• Gift Economies
• http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/freecycle
• LETS Link UK - Local Exchange Trading Systems (National Directory) 
• Stuff-a-lanche
•  (Skills match-making) Reach - bringing together voluntary organisations and volunteers with career skills
• Swap Shop via Gumtree.com (London's gumtree swap shop here)
• GreenGonzo freecycling (has this been superceded?)
• Book Swap Shop

• Cyclos Software

  Cyclos is open source online banking software for complementary currency systems like LETS, Barter networks, Time banks and exchange systems that are introduced in order to boost the circulation of purchasing power and the availability of credit in regions or countries with under-use of capacities.

• Freecycle helps people be generous with what they are getting rid of by finding someone to pick it up.
• Freegle
• Freegle News Story
• Freecycle parties proactively encourage sharing
• The Freeconomy justfortheloveofit.org -Skillshare, Toolshare, Spaceshare, Landshare and Philosofree
• Couchsurfing.org (About CS) (Vision, Mission & Aims)
• (Similar to couchsurfing? - Be Welcome)
• Earth.org -open source travel guide
• Mybnk.org -for collaborative fundraising
• The New Economic Foundation
• Schumacher Society -Buddhist Economics
• A vision for 2012 (Arlington Institute)
• The Zeitgeist Addendum (2 hour video) 
• The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
• Transition Brighton Forum -including Transition Library

"Freecycle is not the only fruit when it comes to reuse and recycling, as the recent split between its UK and US arms has shown. Here are ten alternatives:

MySkip: a celeb-backed swapping site with photos

Freegle: a new breakaway set of groups from ex-Freecycle UK moderators

vSkips: a healthy reuse site with a simple design and over 25,000 "virtual skips"

Whatsmineisyours.com: the original clothes-swapping, or "swishing", site

Big Wardrobe: another clothes-swapping site that recently launched a national swapping "road show"

RecycleNow: an official government site that has a postcode service to locate your nearest recycling centre

Gumtree: popular for giveaways and classified sales. Fairly London-centric but very busy

Don't Dump That: forum-based reuse site along the lines of Freecycle

Seedy People: seed-swapping site for gardeners and allotment owners

LetsAllShare: Freecycle-style site with feedback ratings for users" (SOURCE)

Notes in relation to freecycling, other database initiatives:

"Freecycling is a fabulous initiative, a great way to help the environment and get something you need at the same time. However there's an even better way now! Have a look at GreenGonzo, a new website at http://www.greengonzo.com which provides a searchable database so you can just enter a keyword and find what you need. No more poring over endless yahoogroup mailing lists, no more moderators and no more fuss. There's a computer up for grabs in the North London area. Its a non-profit organisation too, none of its services will cost you a penny.

I reckon this is a better approach to reusing goods and materials, as it is simply far more straightforward. Frecycle is, nevertheless a really great idea, time to take it into the twenty-first century though!" (review from http://www.ciao.co.uk/freecycle_org__Review_5555834)

http://www.goodnewsforpolarbears.org/

Bristol:

http://www.ecojam.org/

jon-hadley.com -for networking

All sites looked at about giving stuff away -competing with freecycle.

Also recommended (but not yet checked)

• "The Irrestible Revolution - Living as an ordinary radical"
• "The knot that binds knowledge and power"
• Get out of debt free
• Freeman on the land forum gateway

Intentional Communities to research:

• Raven's Ait
• Centre for Alternative Technology
• Findhorn Foundation