[FreeGeek] Observation of P-FG

[LBA Veldstra]

This past remembrance day weekend i had the opportunity to vist the grand
city of portland.  I have been there a few times in the past.  This
particular experience is earmarked for the awesome category.  I went and
volunteered at FG with the DR.  In a simple statement it is one of the best
recycling facilities i have been to.  I have had some experience with these
environs.  I have worked at Metro Recycling in Victoria (very unpleasant),
an Auto wreckers in Oakville onscario (an environmental nightmare), and i
have hung out extensively at the "free-store" on hornby island (probably the
second coolest, with a history of nightmare.)

P-FG is spectacular.  It combines all of the goodness of recycling with the
benefit of a smallish sub-culture.  It chaos, maddness at times.  but there
is a acknowledged order.  A structure weaving it all together.  i spent a
very small amount of time there.  from 11:30 to 7.  it wasn't enough
really.  Everything passed by so quickly.  An awful lot of hardware showed
up in those 8 hours of openess.   I was amazed.  apparently it was a typical
saturday.    everything came in from the curb by trolley.  where it was
assessed for values.  then it all had to be given destinations.  and moved
through-out the building.

The flow of equipment through testing was ideal.  You can tell that this is
where the focus is,  get these computers out to people who need them.  I
feel that that end of P-FG is tweaked quite well.   what would've been
awesome is a little door that led to processing.  scratch that it would have
to be a big door.  Processing itself could be set up a little differently.
The cases definitely need to be crushed to obtain better dollar value.
certain things could be set up to glean more refined recyclable materials.
Hard-drives are  but the   I was thinking of a pneumatic/hydraulic press run
off of compressed air/oil.  compressed air itself is a useful thing itself
to have around a dismantling area.  clean hydraulic oil is mostly harmless.
It doesn't kill fish at certain dilutions apparently, i don't know what it
does to baby seals or birds.  either root we choose i feel that, while we
aren't crushing cases, we could use either to run all sorts of neat gizmos.

The best part about the day i spent at P-FG. was the meeting of so many
people.  So many people make up the whole.  Young.  Old.  Disabled.
Enabled  Everyone is equal.  Everyone is a specialist.  Everyone is needed.
its beautiful really.  hard to find at times.  Other times there is no other
way.  while everyone gleans a different experience.  each experience is
common.  Its Freedom for the geeks.  geek is really to ambiguous a term.
and who wants to argue freedom?

-- 
~aaron~

"leave the credit for the thieves, i'll take myself and live in the trees."
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