On West Wimbledon Eco Festival 2008, Freecycle and such events generally.
The Wimbledon Eco Festival 2008 was relatively well-attended and filled with all the stalls and features that would expect from such an event, plus a few new and interesting ventures focusing on limiting the impact caused by our waste, warmongering, greed and pollution upon the environment and each other.
Sarah and I “personned” the Merton Freecycle stall, along with the Freecycle banner, a few bookmarks with additional information and a series of contact slips, cranked out earlier that day on a hastily-cobbled together “Mini-Roneo” (photo at end of article), with the Freecycle logo, the group’s web address and a couple of well-meaning mantras; all with the intention of spreading the word about Freecycle, the need for recycling and re-use along with the vital fact that we must all work together or die trying. Noble thoughts, indeed; partially achieved too!
We may have enlisted a few new members and had a number of interesting discussions on the way; mostly based around Freecycle, its methods and message - which is what we were there for in the first place. I had a fascinating examination of the various models of passing on unwanted items: free, paid for, one-to-one, one-to-many and through distributed networks with and without central points of storage and available transportation links. The Mayor of Wimbledon agreed that it was a “good thing” and a useful extension of and an adjunct to the work and services provided locally by his charity of choice: the Vine Project in Mitcham, who (incidentally) do have storage and transport facilities.
We had greatest interaction otherwise with Sustainable Merton - thanks Tom for bringing the banner and bookmarks! - and the Green Homes Concierge stalls with whom we discussed all matters recyclable, sustainable and growable.
One of the stall-holders has been “reduced to guerilla gardening“, such is his lack of green space whilst so much of it goes unused around him at home - one GardenLend card (along with the address for Modern-ism.com - our Modernist jewellery store) was quickly passed to him and the conversation turned to the need for a more equitable distribution, or at least the potential for use, of land for growing plants and vegetables; an increasingly important concern worldwide.
Light relief was provided by Fairtrade tea and cakes available from the Church Hall, along with a Farmers’ Market stall and other environmental and green concerns held under cover, for logistical and meteorological reasons familiar to all who have ever attended a Church Summer Fete. The strawberry scones more than made up for any shortfall in political discourse or my usual desire to preach the message of Anarcho-Syndicalism as the only way forward, so another victory was to be had. But for whom is a matter of some conjecture - probably the good folk of SW20 and surrounds.
Sustainable Merton and Green Homes Concierge provided speakers for the later talks, appearing prior to Satish Kumar of Resurgence who was in London for the weekend as part of the Campaign against Climate Change
The Church Summer Fete atmosphere was, in some ways, the disappointing aspect of the whole day. Everyone seemed to be preaching to the converted. Even the venue - Christ Church, West Wimbledon and its eco-congregation - had already signed up to the environmentalist message and were set upon the path of worthy endeavours that are so essential should Mankind hope to stand an earthly chance of seeing the next century, let alone the next Millennium.
This is my point - “at last!” I hear being cried out collectively - we must spread the message to the unbelievers, the uninformed, the downright cussed and to everyone else in between. Probably the best place to put Freecycle and other sustainability projects is right in the heart of Mammon - shopping centres - where people spend their money on replacing things that are still usable or shopping for things that they can ill afford.
To start with, food-based shops and supermarkets could be useful allies, as there is no conflict with their core goods and services on offer, also allowing the “green message” to be spread regarding environmentally-friendly products, organic food and recyclable packaging, before challenging the perpetual need for the “latest thing”, be it furniture or electronic goods. A Freecycle banner in every town and city centre? GardenLend information and connections everywhere people congregate and complain about their lack of green space? Gardening and growing fruit and vegetables on all the abandoned green areas that you pass by each day?
What do you think?
After all this, on the way home down the hill from West Wimbledon, we spotted so many green spaces that were neglected, just crying out for a gardener …
… along Bushey Road, West Wimbledon,
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And for those doubters amongst you, the patent Springham “Mini-Roneo”; “Roneo” being colloquialy used as an affectionate generic term to describe all manner of mimeographic machines and often in no way having - as in this case - anything to do with the company Roneo SA.
“Freecycle”, however, does refer to Freecycle, for whom I am the co-Moderator of the Merton group.
Any and all other copyrights and trademarks acknowledged.
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