David J. Widmann

The Underground Gift Economy

It started in Tucson, Arizona in May of 2003 as a way to stop pristine desert land from becoming landfill.  In a year and a half, it has spread to over 1600 cities in 30 countries.

The Freecycle Network (http://www. freecycle.org) is a place where hundreds of thousands of people connect to get what they have to the people who need it.

Here’s how it works: let’s say you’ve got something you don’t need, perhaps a broken VCR.  You’ve decided that rather than going through the hassle of fixing it, you’re just going to get rid of it.  Instead of pitching it in the trash, you offer it up on your local Freecycle list.  Someone else on the list sees your offer, figures they can put your old  VCR to some use, and arranges a pickup.  It’s that simple.

The Toronto Freecycle list (http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/freecycleto) started in November of 2003.  Since then, the list has grown to over 1900 members offering items from kitchen utensils to building materials.

“I think perhaps the strangest item was a pile of dirt,” says Andrew Beatty, moderator of the local Freecycle group.  “Someone had a pile of dirt up for offer, and it was taken.  On the Toronto site, items have ranged from the mundane, such as ink cartridges, books and magazines, to the amazing, like washers, dryers, stoves and televisions.  Someone was also looking for a rubber stopper for a piggy bank.  I thought that was amusing.”

Beatty first heard about Freecycling while working in South Korea.
“Salon.com wrote a fantastic article about this movement, and I found the idea so fascinating that I researched it further,” he says.
Beatty says he was surprised to find that, when he looked into it, there was no Toronto node of this worldwide network.

“After looking at the main Freecycling site, I noticed that there were a few other Canadian cities with several members, but no one had opened a Toronto chapter.  I decided that the biggest city in Canada certainly should be involved in such a worthy and simple idea.  If nobody else was going to do it, I certainly could.”

“Freecycle is faster and less work than a garage sale,” Kathie Weiss-Lefebvre, an ardent Freecycler, says.  “You don’t get any cash for your efforts, just the joy of seeing the new owner take away the item with thanks.

“It is about the fluidity of ownership of so many objects in our lives,” she continues.  “Our needs change, interests change, children grow, households  change location and composition.  Our possessions change with these changes.”

Weiss-Lefebvre also enjoys the ease of Freecycling over other methods for getting rid of unwanted stuff.

“Selling things and finding places to donate things takes time, space, and expertise that not everyone has,” she explains.  “Freecycle is less anonymous than selling used goods on consignment or donating used goods to a charitable organization that either sells or gives the item to someone in need of  it.  Barter is less anonymous, but has limitations.”

“Reusing items is one of the most effective ways to help the environment,” Beatty says.  “Not only does it keep waste out of landfills, but it also lessens the impact of mass consumption and commercialization that are byproducts of our society.

“The interpersonal aspect of the movement, especially in larger urban areas like Toronto, is as beneficial as the environmental aspects,” Beatty continues.  “It gives strangers a chance to meet, touch each others lives, and basically generate goodwill and friendliness.  We see thousands of people every day in Toronto, but probably we do not get a chance to connect with many of them positively.”

Adding to the social aspect of Freecycling is a monthly meet-up (http://freecycle.meetup.com/15) that lets group members chat face-to-face with people who would otherwise be names on an email list.

Beatty points out that it’s not just individuals who benefit from the act of Free-cycling.  Non-profit organizations also use the network to find things they need to keep going.

“There are actually a few different animal shelters that are members of the group.  I have seen a few postings from them requesting items.  Freecyclers are usually asked to offer items to charities first, although no one is required to do this.  It is just a general guideline.”

New members with a variety of different items and needs join Toronto Freecycle every day.  Whether you need a new set of shelves for the garage or you’ve inherited some canning jars you’ll never use, sooner or later you’ll find someone who has what you need or needs what you have.

A few things to look for when buying a used air conditioner

The summer heat has descended upon the city, and the lazy oscillation of the table fan just isn’t enough to cut through the crushing humidity. While thoughts of an air conditioner filling an open window are enticing, the price of a new air conditioner (not to mention all the cardboard, plastic and packing foam that comes with it) to cool a room for a couple of months can seem a little steep.

It’s easy to save a few hundred dollars by purchasing a used air conditioner. 6,000 BTU units, which are good for cooling a room of about 200 square feet, can be found for around $100 used as opposed to nearly $300 new. Be warned, however, that not all units are created equal. A little research will help you keep your cool without generating surprise energy bills.

BTU and You

BTUs (British Thermal Units) are the standard measure for an air conditioner’s cooling capacity. A simple way to figure out how many BTUs you need in an air conditioner is to measure the space you want to cool, then multiply that by 30. For instance, if your room measures 15 feet by 12 feet, you would need an air conditioner with enough power to cool 180 square feet, or 5400 BTUs.

Keep in mind that this calculation doesn’t take into account things like high ceilings, large windows and air leaks. Seal any cracks (which will also help you with winter heating) to keep cool air in the room. If you have high ceilings, look into installing ceiling fans or buying a more powerful air conditioner. Direct sunlight warming the room can be balanced by keeping curtains or blinds closed during the day. In any case, adding 2000 BTUs to your cooling requirements is a good idea, just to be sure the air conditioner isn’t overworked.

Raw Energy

Now that you’ve brushed up on your math skills at home, it’s time to take your calculator into the field. When it comes to energy efficiency, the federal government has made comparing new appliances easy with EnerGuide and Energy Star labeling systems. The energy efficiency ratio (EER) is plainly visible on the unit, and comparing the energy efficiency of similar air conditioners is as simple as looking for the lowest EER number. Figuring out the EER for a secondhand air conditioner is a little more difficult. The label may have been removed, or the unit may have been built before the EnerGuide labeling requirements came into effect.

Fortunately, any electrical device has a label on it somewhere indicating its power usage. The label may be easily visible on the back or side of the unit, or you may have to remove a panel in the front or near the power cord to find it. If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to get the person selling the air conditioner to uncover the label in order to avoid a you-break-you-buy situation.

On the label, look for the air conditioner’s wattage. If the watts aren’t on the label, you can multiply the amps by the volts to get what you need. Divide the air conditioner’s BTUs by the number of watts, and that gives you the units EER. For example, a 6,000 BTU air condition using 840 watts has an EER of about 7. Another 6,000 BTU air conditioner using 1200 watts would have an EER of about 5. The higher the number, the less energy is required to cool your room.

The Ministry of Natural Resources website (http://nrcan.gc.ca) contains detailed information on energy uses, and tables to help you estimate the cost of running your air conditioner for the summer. For example, if you’ve got an 8,000 BTU unit with an EER of 9.7, you can expect to use 585 kilowatt-hours of electricity for the average Toronto summer. At 4.7 cents per kilowatt-hour, expect to add $27.50 to your bill.

Window Seat

There are few things in life that can make a person feel more foolish than hauling an air conditioner up the stairs in 32-degree heat only to find that it’s too big for the window you’ve planned to set it up in (trust me, I know from experience). Make sure you take accurate measurements of the window before you purchase a unit, and compare those measurements to the air conditioner before you purchase it. Eye-balling doesn’t always work.

Be sure to choose a window that’s close to an electrical outlet, preferably one that’s not being used for anything else. Air conditioners use a lot of power and cause electrical interference that can damage other appliances – particularly computer or stereo equipment – that might be plugged into the same circuit. Power bars and extension cords should also be avoided.

Do your best to ensure that you purchase the right air conditioner for the type of window you’re installing it into. Although an air conditioner meant for vertical-sliding windows can be rigged with a board to fit into a window with side-sliding panes, it won’t often work the other way. Air conditioners meant for side-sliding windows usually don’t have a support bracket along the top. Installing this type of unit into a window with vertical-sliding panes leaves very little between your air conditioner and the pavement below.

Another thing to be aware of when buying a used air conditioner is the possibility that the unit required special mounting hardware to keep it secure. Empty screw holes or evenly-spaced scratches along the top or sides of the unit are tell-tale signs that there may be more to installing it than just sitting it on the window sill. Ask someone knowledgeable about air conditioner installation if there are additional brackets needed to hold the unit up. If you’re not sure, it’s best to pass on that particular unit and find a model that looks like it’s an easier installation.
When installing the air conditioner, make sure the unit is level so that the moisture it draws out of the air can drain outside properly and not form a pool of water on the floor. Also do your best to seal the area around the unit so no outside air can get in around it. This will ensure that the air conditioner can cool the room as efficiently as possible.

Relief is here

Getting the right air conditioner ready to go requires a lot of thought and work. Being able to sleep comfortably on those short summer nights makes it all worthwhile. With proper servicing, even a secondhand air conditioner can last for many years. Consider making a trip to the local library and checking out a book on basic air conditioner maintenance. Simple things like changing filters regularly and keeping electrical contacts clean will keep the unit running efficiently and can help prevent bigger, more costly problems down the road.

Sooner or later the time will come to dispose of your air conditioner. Remember that air conditioners contain hazardous chemicals and require special disposal arrangements. Check out the City of Toronto’s household hazardous waste guidelines (http://www.toronto.on.ca/hhw) for more information.

When your air conditioner gives up the ghost, there still may be a use for it. Local used appliance dealers might offer some money for a unit they can use for parts. Look around your neighbourhood for community or school programs that refurbish old appliances. It’s surprising to see how many different uses old machines have when you take the time to look.

Watering hole doubles as museum of technology

Opening the door at 609 Queen Street West is to step into the future we were promised. Robots mill around the bar, computers vigilantly watch over human patrons, and dusty souvenirs of space travel line the walls like your grandmother’s set of collectable plates. The whole scene is bathed in a green glow generated by backlit circuit boards embedded in the bar.

“The circuit boards are from a defunct computer graveyard place that we found when we first opened,” says James Applegath, one of the owners of NASA Dance Pub. “They had piles and piles garbage lying around. We just sorted through it and came up with those.”

The distinctive bar is just the beginning of NASA’s unique ambiance. The walls are rife with items honouring its namesake space agency including mission patches, photos, and one small piece of fabric that has actually made it into orbit.

“This little NATO flag was flown in outer space, on Columbia’s 3rd mission,” says Applegath “It was donated by one of the customers here. Her father worked for the Canadian Space Agency. He gave it to her and she gave it to us.”

Another one of NASA’s claims to fame is its collection of vintage video games. There are few places where you can see original Atari 2600, Sega, Intellivision, Gemini and Vectrex systems on public display.

“We actually had a guy who’s a huge Vectrex fan from Ottawa,” Applegath says. “He happened to come here one night and saw this, and he was so impressed that he actually programmed a cartridge for us. When you turned it on it said ‘NASA’ on the front, and he put five or six games on one cartridge.”

“One of our DJs, DJ Gadget, donated the Commodore Pet,” says Applegath about another piece of cast-off computer hardware. “He’s a huge technology buff. He can pretty much fix anything, so he put that together and brought it here. They used to be state of the art. Now I don’t even know what you’d use it for.”

NASA also makes a home for an impressive collection of science fiction memorabilia. The list of items is extensive, and it includes a cornucopia of action figures, comic books, toy UFOs, and movie posters for such classics as Tron and Battlestar Galactica.

“We got a lot of stuff on eBay before we opened,” says Applegath. “A lot of little toys and robots are from Goodwill. You just go to Buy The Pound and rummage through. A lot of the stuff was just donated by customers.”

It’s not just electronics and collectibles that are finding new life as NASA’s decor. Applegath and his partner, Ben Ferguson, have even sought out secondhand fixtures and furniture to create the bar’s ambiance. Sitting in the front window is a distinctive floor lamp that Applegath says was purchased from a set sale after the movie X-Men completed production in Toronto. Flanking the lamp, two rows of airplane seats provide a comfortable vantage point for watching the action on Queen Street.

“The airplane seats came from a guy that was doing independent theatre on Jarvis just before we opened,” says Applegath. “He cancelled his plans and we got them from him. They’ve got the ashtrays in the arms, so you know they’re old for sure.”

Hanging above the circuit-board bar is a row of silver lamps, each displaying the NASA logo. Even these pristine-looking silver orbs are part of Applegath and Ferguson’s assemblage of used items.

“We purchased the lamps from a club that closed down,” Applegath explains. “Our doorman does sandblasting, so he did the logos on the glass. It worked quite nicely.”

Applegath and Ferguson opened NASA in December of 1999. They gained their management experience working at legendary Toronto hot-spot Industry, then decided to go into business for themselves. As for the collection of toys, machines and furniture that give the bar its vibe, Applegath cites his mother as a big inspiration.

“I was going to auctions with my mom,” he says. “I saw all this cool stuff, and I thought it would make a good space-aged retro-themed place. It’s a cool way to do it because it doesn’t cost a fortune and it’s really unique.”

The low cost of keeping the atmosphere alive at NASA is a plus.

“There’s a bunch of stuff I have at home that I just don’t bring here, because it disappears,” says Applegath. “I had a C-3P0 piggy-bank. That lasted two weeks. We had a cool 8-track tape player that disappeared. It happens all the time, where things are just missing.”

NASA also had to stop its practice of making the vintage video games available for customers to play while enjoying drinks.

“You get some drunk guy playing it and the joystick breaks, and the joysticks are impossible to find,” says Applegath.

Still, for better or worse, it’s the constantly changing collection of items that keeps NASA’s look fresh. Even though the items change, the bar keeps comfortable, friend’s-basement appeal… much like the bar’s owners themselves.

“Back when I was 12 or 13, I had this buddy and we were totally into all this stuff,” Applegath explains. “Years later, he showed up here and said: ‘This is weird. Last time I saw you we were playing Atari and doing all this stuff.’ I haven’t changed at all.”

NASA is open seven days a week from 9:00pm to 3:00am. For more information, check out http://www.nasadancepub.ca

Artist/writer Cynthia Gould finds warmth in Kensington Market

Cynthia Gould is a writer, spoken-word performer and painter who has secondhand shopped “since I was around 15 or 16. I discovered I could get much more for my money.”

“I like shopping, period, but secondhand shopping usually ensures that you won’t run into someone wearing the exact same outfit,” she says, “and there tends to be much more variety in secondhand stores. In new stores, they only have what is supposedly hip this season. I’ll be the judge of what I choose to wear, thank you very much!”

Over a large cup of coffee at the Organic Bhudda Cafe, Cynthia showed off one of her recent finds.

“I found this long, black cardigan with burgundy funfur cuffs and collar at Ohm Shanti in Kensington Market,” she said. “It’s very warm. I saw it on the rack out front. I was just walking by and saw funfur, so shazam!”

Cynthia can often be found haunting the storefronts and laneways of Kensington Market. She says the leisurely pace and friendly atmosphere of the neighbourhood are what attracts her to its many shops and cafes.

“It can take me an entire afternoon to walk up that street,” she laughs. “I can rarely remember the names of the individual stores, because I go through them all at once and it gets blurry.”

Cynthia also displayed one of her earliest and most treasured acquistions.

“I bought this silver necklace for a quarter when I was 16 so I’ve had it for, let’s just say a million years,” she says. “I got it at the Big Sisters secondhand store in downtown Port Hope. There’s three big silver wigglies on it where three blue jewels are supposed to be stuck in, but two of the jewels were missing. I went out and spent 70 cents on blue model paint that matched, and I painted in the other two circles so you can’t tell that their missing. I’ve worn it ever since.”

Sometimes, though, great finds are just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

“My boots are secondhand Docs that are in fabulous condition,” Cynthia says. “I was at a friend of mine’s house for dinner one day. She was cleaning her closet, and we’re close enough to the same size. That’s secondhand I didn’t even have to go to a store for.”

Of course Cynthia doesn’t spend all her time rummaging through the used clothing racks. Since moving into a new art studio space, she’s been “painting like a madperson,” to the point that the gallery section of her web site (www.cynthiagould.com) has become “a bit confusing.” She’s working on that too.

“I’m also going to be hosting some shows coming up.” she says. “I’m going to be featuring at Night of Sirens, which is an evening exploring the sensual side of women. It’s all female performers and musicians. That’s at the Renaissance Cafe on April 28.”

For more info on Cynthia’s live performances, check out http://cynthiagould.coffeehouse.ca.