Freecycling: Free Stuff for Me and UNLV

One of the more interesting social features of the internet is its ability to network like-minded people; all that is needed is a common interest. Freecycling is one of those interests, and it's one that is taking root in Vegas. Simply put, Freecycling "...is an email list where people give away things that they no longer need for free." While it's hit or miss, there's loads of great things to be found on FreecycleLasVegas. Be you a starving artist, working on a budget, or just too damn cheap to spend your dough, there's people in Vegas (and Henderson) just giving all sorts of things away! Furniture, phones, office stuff are the usual, but this weekend two remote control helicopters were offered and promised. How cool is that? Here's how freecycling works.

2 Official Rules of Freecycle (and 1 in question):

"OFFER: I have 4 tons of Eggplants." That's all your email has to say to get the ball rolling.

* "PROMISED: The Eggplants have been promised, will relist if they aren't picked up." Someone wanted your eggplants and sent you an email saying as much. Go figure!

"TAKEN: The Eggplants are gone." Congratulations, you managed to schedule a pickup/delivery, have gotten rid of your crap and it's gone to a good home.

* Sometimes the term "promised" is used, but Eric Snyder of the Ottawa (Canada) Freecycle emailed and stated that "promised" is not a preferred rule. Additionally, FreecycleLasVegas Listowner Deborah had an additional comment,

"...I do have one correction for something that you wrote. 'Promised' is not part of our guidelines (although some members mistakenly use it) and we discourage members from using that as it only creates more unneccessary email.
The posting format that we ask members to use is this...
Offer: Eggplants
Taken: Eggplants
Wanted: Eggplants
Received: Eggplants"

So, when you join (and you should join), just promise you won't use the term "promised."

But this sort of cost-free benevolence is not just for individuals. UNLV has benefited from a form of corporate freecycling. When local casinos have closed/remodeled theaters and productions, they often notified the UNLV Performing Arts Center. The window of opportunity often would be only a day or two long, but saving the expense of new lighting gear made it worthwhile. But that has also left the Performing Arts Center with the problem of maintaining a collection of mish-mashed equipment often decades old. So, the next time you're at the PAC, take a look up -- that's Vegas history that's lighting up the stage.