Green initiative swaps skills ‘n’ stuff
Monday, November 24th, 2008Marta from Toronto writes:
I am the creator of a newly launched and one-of-a-kind Canadian bartering community for individuals and groups. Our community encourages a greener lifestyle as well as curbing consumerism through bartering.
SwapSity users can swap a combination of items and skills with the option to balance uneven swap transactions with cash. For example, you can offer books that you have read and in exchange receive help with computer repair. Any uneven swaps can be equalized with cash. SwapSity is also a useful parent resource for exchanging kids’ outgrown gear, toys, games and clothes with other parents and de-cluttering your living space.
Like-minded individuals can also create customized swap groups. One of our most recent groups is a residential recycling project within a downtown apartment complex in Toronto. The group was created to encourage reusing discarded items as well as skill-swapping between neighbours living in the building. The goal of the group is to reduce the impact on the environment as well as build a sense of community among the residents.
SwapSity is free and it offers a full spectrum of user tools to help our swappers communicate with other members and negotiate mutually agreeable swaps. Once you agree to an exchange, you can just meet in person or ship locally. There is a lot of room for creative and green swaps. I invite you all to check it out!
I aim to live as green as possible in Toronto, which looks pretty green this summer thanks to all the Vancouver-like weather we’ve had — although, I’d still like to see less traffic and cigarette butts on our streets, among other things! I’m in the heart of downtown and walk, bike, cab it or take public transit nearly everywhere. When I’m not producing television or writing for magazines, I’m shopping local at the St. Lawrence farmer’s market and the Healthy Butcher, checking out music festivals, and enjoying the outdoors like busing to Muskoka with a big group of friends for a canoe-camping trip on Moon River.
After an exciting and memorable time at Carleton University in Ottawa, I completed my journalism degree at Ryerson in Toronto and have since worked in television for several years.