Spare change? - 23rd August 2010

Freeskilling, freeconomy, freeganism, freecycle – all great buzz words for the dawn of the twenty-first century, but networking sites have left me screaming for more DIY self sufficiency and less SEDIFY, aka Someone Else Does It For You.

“Hello! 
I’ve got some shelves from IKEA but I really haven't got the energy to put them up. Can some lovely person come round and get them sorted, I’d be happy to trade with one of my skills. I've got the screws and some tools but if you have a power drill that might make it easier for you. 

Thanks. 

Zed.”

Zed is just the latest in a torrent of freeconomers doing their best to pitch me into full scale corporate capitalism. Freeconomy sites are springing up all over the country. They promote tool-sharing among members and often play host to events where members share their skills with others, free of charge.

I cheerfully signed up after hearing friends talk about great evenings spent making candles, drying herbs, preserving, or learning foraging skills. Thirty minutes later, my inbox pinged. Someone called Layne was asking if anyone had a spare wall planner. Good idea, I thought. Ten minutes later: “I'm looking for a boilersuit/all in one/body suit type outfit preferably in white and in a linen/cotton like material.” Next up, could anyone could give her a lift to a festival? Or lend her a tent? Or wellies (“p.s don't care if they're odd wellies, as long as they do the job!”) Ping! Ping! Ping!

For six or seven hours I heard nothing and experienced a strange sense of abandonment. What was she up to? But soon the emails were flying in again, including a request for someone to call emergency services to rescue a distressed hedgehog. The last post I saw from Layne said: “I've just ran out of Dr Johns dog food and wondered if anyone can loan me a few bowls' worth until Tuesday?”

I'm all for sharing tools and skills, but would I lend this woman a strimmer? Or a spoon? Would I hell! And therein lies the problem – in a rural landscape where the participants know each other, synergies can develop naturally, but how does one create a structure for resource efficiency in an urban setting? What safeguards and measures can be put in place? And does the act of imposing rules go against the whole spirit of the thing?

I joined Freecycle some years ago, taking in orphaned wicker log baskets and a portable barbecue, and drowning in a deluge of queries when I cleared out half a drumkit. Freecycle is, without a doubt, fantastic, and so popular that I've had to unsubscribe from email notices because it takes half a working day to scroll through the offers, only to find that someone else has gazumped you by checking the website in real time. Its strength lies in its clarity of mission, and stringent monitoring system. No money to change hands; no pets, and only a limited number of 'Wanted' requests.

The freeconomy is very much in its infancy, although it has gone on informally for generations, so it's not surprising that the boundaries are up for debate. In the meantime, I'm a bit short of cash; anyone got a tenner they want to share?