Freecycle Etiquette (Do's and Dont's)

Dear Freecycle Edinburgh Member,

thank you for being a part of The (ever-expanding) Freecycle Network. We're changing the world one gift at a time!

This message contains essential knowledge for all Freecycle members and will answer MANY common new-user questions, so please take the time to read it through.

A certain structure definitely makes the group run smoothly and effectively for everyone's benefit. Remember, the success of this group depends on all of us, and that means each of us need to do our best to keep on task and, well, be nice and patient.

Good Luck, Have Fun & Dive on In!

The following list of rules have been adapted from the original Freecycle etiquette sheet; For a refresher, read on.

FREECYCLE RULES & ETIQUETTE

1) KEEP IT FREE, LEGAL & APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES:

This means, for example, no Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms or Drugs, legal or otherwise. Two strikes and you will be removed from the group.

This is our main Freecycle rule to live by and it's a pretty easy one at that. No advertising anything for sale, or offering to pay for or towards, as you're looking for or offering money and that isn't free...

2) SUBJECT LINE OF YOUR POSTS.

Choose one of these options to make sure your post goes in the correct category:

OFFER: loveseat, Leith. (Offering more than 1 thing? Still keep it in 1 post please]

TAKEN: loveseat

WANTED: loveseat, any condition. (Please use this sparingly and don't offer money).

RECEIVED: Loveseat

Above all else, don't ask for an extravagant item like an iPod which we'd all like to have or other members will likely take a dim view, and then when you really are in need you will likely find your posts ignored

3) WANTED POSTS:

Please DO NOT post the same "WANTED" posting WITHIN 14 DAYS.

4) NO POLITICS, NO SPAM, NO MONEY, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS/RUDENESS, NO PROSELYTIZING/RELIGION. It's all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Two strikes & you're out, i.e. you will be unsubscribed by the moderator after two inappropriate postings.

5) YOUR APPROXIMATE LOCATION:

This can be your district or the first part of your Post Code, Edinburgh or your County is simply too vague and such posts will not be approved.

6) KEEP IT ALL IN ONE E-MAIL.

Got more than one thing to give away? Keep it all in one post please and just number the items for your own clarity. This reduces the overall number of posts we all have to receive.

7) CAN WE USE FREECYCLE TO FIND NEW HOMES FOR PETS?

Please remember it's only inanimate items we want to see Freecycled. So that means no animals of any kind...sorry but it's just not fair to allow hamsters but refuse rabbits! In order to be fair we have to state we won't allow animals to be Freecycled at all.

Please feel free to use Freecycle Edinburgh Cafe for pets (see link below)

8) NO TRADING PLEASE.

Go to your local trading organization for this. Alternatively visit The Cafe (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edinburghfreecyclecafe)

9) RESPONSES GO ONLY TO OFFERER.

It keeps down the sheer number of e-mails

10) PICK UP.

Arrange as you like. Generally, you'll wait until you get a handful of responses or maybe overnight, and then you can pick whomever you like! That's half the fun. I always ask that people consider giving your starving local charity preference if one should respond.

Choose ONE PERSON ONLY, rather than respond to many with replies such as 'it's on the porch, whoever gets here first gets it, first to respond to email or phone' and so on, otherwise you'll become the boo man pretty fast with your fellow Freecycle Group Members...

Also: only give your phone number to one person at a time or ask for the recipient's phone no. Otherwise you'll get swamped with phone calls.

11) DISCLAIMER: FREECYCLE NETWORK MEMBERS USE THE LIST AT THEIR OWN RISK.

Please take reasonable measures to protect your safety and privacy when posting to the list or participating in an exchange. By joining the list, you agree to hold neither the list owners and moderators nor anyone affiliated with Freecycle.org responsible or liable for any circumstance resulting from a Freecycle-related exchange or communication.

SAFETY.

Be aware! It is up to each individual member of Freecycle when arranging for pickup of the item being given away to be appropriately aware of the potential risk of having "a stranger" come to your home to pick something up. Freecycle as a listserv assumes no responsibility for this risk. If you, for example, are a single woman living alone, you may want to say that you'll leave the item on the front porch while you are not home.

12) NO POSTING YOURSELF OR ANYONE ELSE.

Posting oneself (or one's shy friends) is, I'm afraid, not allowed. There are many fine Internet dating sites better suited to this purpose. Posting your kids is not on the menu either, no matter how crazy they make you sometimes. Try getting them involved in after-school band practice.

13) A BRIEF NOTE ON FREECYCLE ETIQUETTE (stating the obvious):

"Be nice". We've got a great little community here so when you arrange to pick up an item from another Freecycle Member, it is basic good manners to accommodate them as much as possible in terms of scheduling, and then be punctual; they are, after all, giving you something you need and asking nothing in return except that you will show up when you say you will. (Leaving someone hanging is never a nice thing.)

Also, unless the giver tells you otherwise, assume that they would like you to come by as soon as you can to take away the item; no more than three days after the offer is made is usual. (Think of it as The Three-Day Rule.)

TIPS TO ORGANIZE ALL OF THE NEW E-MAILS YOU ARE RECEIVING:

a) CREATE A SEPARATE E-MAIL FOLDER & AUTOMATICALLY HAVE FREECYCLE STUFF GO TO IT.

Create a separate folder in your Outlook Express & have Freecycle stuff sent to it automatically with a new rule under tools/message rules/mail/

b) SET TO "DAILY DIGEST" OR "NO E-MAILS" (which means you'll just browse the messages online).

You can set your personal preferences on the main page (under Edit My Membership in the top right corner).

Just so you know, you CAN delete your own posts for any reason (for example, if someone's taken the item you offered, or if you've received the item you wanted, or if you posted something by mistake). Go back to your My Freecycle, select Posts and bring it into view on the screen. Click on Delete. That should do it. (Note, though, that deleting a post won't prevent it from showing up in the next digest for those with digest options.)

That should just about do it. Have fun keepin' good stuff out of landfills!

Regards, your local Freecycle moderator :)

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