Companion site for MarinFreecycle at Yahoo Groups

Thank you for your email Devi!

I am getting many responses from members about this subject. Could I ask a favor of you? Can you go to my blog post url below that is a copy of my Admin post to the Yahoo Group, and post your comments? Feel free to repeat the same  message below to me, or expand on it as you like. It would be so helpful. From the replies I’m getting the group is hungry for info so they can do the right thing with regards to their recycled material. I am planning to do a followup Admin to my original post this coming Thursday and will include the link to my blog as well. As you may know, the membership of MarinFreecycle are passionate about keeping items out of the landfill and recycling in general.

Your comment about plastics being burned in China for fuel and in our air 4 days later is very pertinent. What #s of plastic does this refer to? Or is it just “plastic bags, Styrofoam or compostable plastics.” Some members are saying that MSS does not ship plastic to China, but surrounding localities (like SF) do. If you could clarify these things it would be awesome.

FYI: here’s just a few comments I have received since my Admin post:

• “I’m confused about the plastic caps. The instructions say no caps, however by phone they’ve said if the cap is still attached to the plastic bottle it’s crushed with the bottle…”
• “But is it all 1-7’s?  They told me once that it is only those that have the screw neck (beverage, shampoo, etc.) and not the clamshells (fruit containers) and other such. I’d love it if they included the others!”

This is a common complaint —

• “why hasn’t the website been updated sooner or a note added that the info on it is not up-to-date.”

• “Thanks for this important info Nicole. I know other sites take 1 – 7 so I checked the Marin Sanitary site recently. You would think they would fix the website!”
• “According to one recycling professional, plastics numbered 3 – 7 require about as much hydrocarbon to make them into anything else as it does to make them in the first place. So, there isn’t much profit in “recycling” the plastics with the higher numbers.”
• “The exception on the list is #6 !!!”

Blog post is at:  http://marincountyfreecycle.org/wp/2010/02/22/admin-post-to-group-re-plastic-recycling/

Much appreciate your time and attention to all this!

Cheers,
Nicole
Moderator, MarinFreecycle

Home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marinfreecycle/
Blog: http://marincountyfreecycle.org/wp

Dear Members,

January was another record month for board posts — 1413! Kudos to all members who are continuing to actively post to the board. Your actions are keeping a HUGE amount of items from being tossed out and ending up in our landfill. I don’t have a way to calculate the tonnage, but am pretty sure that it’s a very respectable figure that can make us all proud.

February is also seeing a lot of post activity to the board. Most make it through, but unfortunately, many are being rejected and have to be re-submitted. Here are the top reasons for post rejections. I hope it will help to remind you to avoid them, so your post makes it onto the board the first time you send it! (The reason for rejection follows in parens.)

1. Incomplete subject line and/or city in Marin missing. (because Offer/Wanted/Taken/Received is missing in subject line.)
2. Come & get it offers with addresses are not allowed on this board. (because address is in post)
3. Please resubmit your post with a subject line that conforms to group rules. (because subject line is just plain weird)
4. Asking to borrow is not allowed on the board. (because reference to returning an item after use is in post)
5. Posting a dollar value on your item is not allowed unless it is clear you are giving it for FREE. (because it creates confusion)

Hopefully seeing this list will be a good reminder for all to check their post before sending it to the queue.

Also, I want to send a reminder also to remember to continue making donations to the various county nonprofits that depend on the influx of donations in the form of goods that they disperse to others, or sell to support their agency efforts. Our group is but one “spoke” in the wheel of recycling in our county.

Warm regards,
Nicole
Moderator