FREE FLEA: We’ve been sharing some “good ideas” with readers
including an idea to hold a flea market where all the items are
free.

Such an event would allow a portion of the population to get rid
of unused items while helping other portions of the population to
acquire them at no cost. It’s called “precycling,” and looks to us
like a win-win suggestion.

Robin Kuleck, our friend at Cooperative Extension, liked our
idea and followed up with a suggestion: “Would UPB rise to the
challenge? This sounds like Penn State’s Trash to Treasure sale
held every May at the Bryce Jordan Center where students and
community members can unload items that are no longer usable or
would cost too much to ship to a new destination. Maybe a
philanthropic student organization or United Way could assist with
the organization of such an event and reap the rewards or split
proceeds with ‘donors.’”

We thought we’d come up with the idea ourselves but received an
article from the Worthington, Ohio, News which discusses a
“PreCycle Day” scheduled for April 22, Earth Day, in that
community.

Here’s how one of the organizers described the event: “It’s a
citywide event where residents dig out usable stuff they no longer
need and make it available to their neighbors at curbside, for
free.”

Naturally, residents are asked to place at the curb only items
that are re-usable — not items that are junk. Signs have been
printed up, and those participating would place one near items up
for grabs.

Leftover items can be left on the curb for regular trash pickup,
or placed on a website where people can continue to find new homes
for these used items.

Interestingly, the sponsoring organization said it had yet to
hear of another community sponsoring such a Precycle event.

Could Bradford be second?

A FEW MORE: Lori Guthrie tells us last week she spotted groups
of 4 to 6 robins multiple times both morning and the evening in
Lewis Run. While we’ve been very encouraged by these signs of
spring, we can’t help but brace for the inevitable return of snow
and cold before winter can officially be declared dead.