Freecycling

If you're a treasure hunter, you're always on the lookout for items that aren't worthless, but happen to be found in a trash pile. In Centretown, we call that a Garbagem; but what would we call these items if we left them out for the public to take, but not with the garbage (and not necessarily on garbage night)?


I'm not sure what we'd call them, but 'Freecycling' is what we'd be doing with them. A sagacious Wikipedia author concisely describes it as "the act of giving away usable unwanted items to others instead of disposing of them in landfills." In my travels, I came across many instances of this commonsensical yet unusually rare phenomenon. Here are some examples from Victoria, BC:

(A wicked lawn chair found in a residential Victoria area)

(Treasure hunters on the prowl)

(Even the local Victoria businesses have joined in the cycling; hot jams all around)

(Outside of a hardware store, a sad box generously provides a public service)

Here's one that I didn't expect to find in this location:

(A dumpster in downtown Calgary, AB)

Yes, you read that correctly, this was found in Calgary. Freecycling is even practiced in the heart of our nation's least progressive province! I think us Ottawans should be ashamed and embarrassed that we haven't yet established freecycling as a commonplace routine (beyond the occasional giveaway weekend). Just remember, even if you're throwing something away, that doesn't mean you have to treat it like garbage.

Thoughts?