Residents near Wilmington, NC have found a great new way to get free stuff for their homes and help the environment at the same time. City officials have set up a “swap shop” near the landfill where local residents can leave behind household items they no longer need for anyone to take, free of charge.
The purpose of the Swap Shop is to encourage waste reduction through the practice of reusing items amongst the community, extending both the life of the items and the life of the area’s landfills. The program has already greatly reduced the amount of material simply thrown away that the landfill must process and allows residents to pick up items they need for a fraction of the cost. It’s a win-win for everyone. Many of the popular items swapped at the site include furniture, tools, gardening equipment, lamps and books.
All of this just goes to show that one man’s trash is (always) another man’s treasure. Local swappers reportedly love the ability the get rid of their old stuff while picking up something new that the need. The swap shops have proved so popular that their are plans to open four shops in other nearby locations.
Has your city or town established a local swapping program or swapping event? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page, we’d love to feature them here on the Swapping Ideas blog!
(Photo by: The City of Raleigh)
Swap.com Mobile is a free iPhone is app that lets you scan items into your HAVE and WANT lists, manage your account, see what you can get for your stuff, and participate in swaps.
