1820 Pandora Street
Vancouver, BC
V5L 1M5
604-879-GEEK (4335)
OPEN - Tues. ~ Sat.
11:00am - 6:00pm
CLOSED - Sun. Mon.
vancouver
VeloPirates of the Geekness Islands, a Free Geek fundraiser party, Fri May 30 at the Anza Club, 8th Ave & Ontario
Submitted by ifny on Wed, 2008-05-21 13:59.May 30 2008 - 20:00
Location(s)
VeloPirates of the Geekness Islands
Fri May 30 at the Anza Club, 8th & Ontario [MAP]
DOORS 8pm, SHOW 8:45, dancing till 2am, beer till it runs out...
$5 if you arrive with Critical Mass, $10 if you arrive later
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Volunteering FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Want to Volunteer? YAY!
Free Geek is almost entirely volunteer-based; in fact, we have over 400 volunteers. You don't need computer experience; we'll teach you everything you need to know. If you have skills, that's great too!
HOW DO I START?
All volunteers are required to complete an orientation before they start volunteering. Orientations happen at Free Geek Wednesday and Saturday at 4pm and take about 30 min. Please arrive at our phone desk by 4:00 so we can start on time. You don't need to phone ahead for an orientation; just show up.
WHEN CAN I VOLUNTEER?
Aside from the orientation, our volunteer hours are 1-6pm, Tues-Sat. You will be able to volunteer when it's convenient for you; just let us know so we can put you on the schedule. You don't have to volunteer the same day all the time, or a set number of hours per month. We're flexible, and just happy you want to help out.
HOW DO I GET A FREE COMPUTER?
If you need a computer, you can get into our Computer Adoption Program. Basically, after you accumulate 24 hours of time helping out at Free Geek, you get a free refurbished desktop computer (system, monitor, mouse, keyboard). We call this computer a GeekBox; it will be running Ubuntu Linux and come with all the programs you need to do most everything. We also give you a class on how to use it, as well as ongoing technical support. Just let us know at your orientation that you want to be enrolled in the Adoption Program.
Please note that you can't volunteer for parts. Adoption computers are standard desktop systems only; we are unable to customize them. If there are additional things you need (like a printer, or more RAM, etc) you will get a discount in the Computer Thrift Store. (Please note: laptops cannot be adopted as we don't get enough for everyone to have one.)
I WANT TO VOLUNTEER BUT I DON'T NEED A COMPUTER.
That's great! Just let us know at your orientation. We'll still keep track of your hours for our statistics.
WHAT DO VOLUNTEERS DO?
There are a wide variety of things we need help with. No computer experience is necessary. If you have computer skills we can certainly use your help as well.
Priorities change from day-to-day at Free Geek. But we need regular help testing, sorting, dismantling and refurbishing equipment, dealing with incoming gear, as well as some administrative work and organising. Believe it or not, many of these activities can be done by people new to computers, with a little support.
Most importantly, we need you to have fun while you're here! We have a wide variety of people at Free Geek, with different strengths, backgrounds and abilities. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding accessibility.
I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS!
No problem! Contact us!
Ubuntu Vancouver Monthly Meeting, 2nd Thurs of the month @ Free Geek, 1820 Pandora St. (back door)
Submitted by ifny on Sun, 2008-05-04 10:16.Jul 10 2008 - 18:30
Jul 10 2008 - 20:30
Location(s)
Ubuntu Vancouver Monthly Meeting
*Join us for our fourth regular meeting.*
Day: Thursday, 8 May, 2008pm
Time: 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Free Geek, 1820 Pandora Street. Please enter by the back door, off the alley.
Join the conversation:
Ubuntu Vancouver Wiki (where you can also join the local Ubuntu Vancouver mailing list)
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FG @ 3rd Annual Youth Fair, Thurs May 8, 2-4pm @ Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
Submitted by ifny on Fri, 2008-05-02 17:41.May 8 2008 - 14:00
May 8 2008 - 16:00
Location(s)
3rd Annual Youth Spot Employment Centre Youth Fair
Free Geek will have a booth at this year's youth fair:
Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
2131 Renfrew Street @ Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
2:00-4:00pm
Youth Spot says:
In celebration of the Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House Youth Week, we would like to invite you to participate in our 3rd Annual Youth Fair! The fair introduces youth between the ages of 15-30 to a variety of resources in their community in one informative afternoon. The fair will feature various social and health providers, employment training programs and post secondary educational institutions.
MORE INFO: 3rd Annual Youth Spot Employment Centre Youth Fair
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Free Geek Vancouver Qualifies as First Canadian Non-profit e-Steward!
Free Geek qualifies as first Canadian non-profit to be recognized in ethical recycling program
~ No toxic e-Waste dumping in Canada or abroad ~
Finally, it will be easier for computer owners to find a responsible recycler who will not dump computer equipment in landfills, or ship it off to Asia to be dumped over there.
Frustrated with the lack of accountability in the computer recycling industry, Free Geek Vancouver, a community-run non-profit, has managed to qualify as an e-Steward by upholding the most rigourous international standard for social and environmental responsibility around -- the Electronic Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship, designed by a global e-waste watchdog, the Basel Action Network (BAN). The founder of BAN and Free Geek representatives held a press conference today at their Vancouver facility.
Above: Jim Puckett (seated left) and Ifny Lachance address the press. Photo by David Repa.
"Most people are not aware that 50-80% of so called recyclers will export your old computer to countries like China where it will be managed in horrific nightmarish conditions, that are highly polluting and damaging to human health," said BAN's Jim Puckett. "The Canadian and US governments fail to properly control this toxic trade, and for that reason we created the e-Stewards initiative. It's not for the faint of heart. It's designed to be the most rigourous environmental and social justice criteria for electronics recycling in the world."
"It's hard for the public to know who to trust with their old computers-- this should help!" says Ifny Lachance, a coordinator at Free Geek Vancouver.
"This qualification means a lot to us because it can't be bought -- you have to earn it, you have to prove that you're not lying. Because it's so easy to abuse the system, we think all computer recyclers should be assumed guilty until they prove themselves innocent. That doesn't always make us popular with the competition," she continued.
Free Geek Vancouver is a nonprofit computer recycling and reuse centre, where the community can pitch in to help test, refurbish or dismantle unwanted computer equipment donated by the public. No experience is required, and volunteers receive free computers and workshops. FreeGeek supports its activities through a computer thrift store and recycling revenue.
Above: Volunteers dismantling computers destined for recycling at Free Geek. Photo by Ifny Lachance.
"Lots of folks are in desperate need of access to technology. So here is a perfect way to reduce waste; with a little know-how, our volunteers give unwanted computers a new life, and make them available to people and non-profits for free or very cheap," said David Repa, another coordinator at Free Geek. "This also reduces pollution from manufacturing of new computers, and gets everyone involved in being part of the solution, not the problem."
Electronic waste continues to be the most heavily traded toxic waste onthe planet. UN figures say 50 million tonnes of e-waste are generatedyearly. Canadians alone throw out 140,000 tons of equipment every year,the equivalent of about 5.6 million computers. Most of this materialthat is collected for "recycling" and "re-use" actually ends up dumped or burned in poor countries with few environmental or worker protections.
Left: This should not be called "re-use!" Electronic waste dumped in residential area just outside of Alaba market in Lagos, Nigeria. This e-waste is routinely burned here. Photo used with permission, © Basel Action Network. [More BAN photos here.]
Canada is a major illegal exporter of hazardous wastes, with smugglers and brokers outpacing enforcement officials. In 2006, during Canada's only enforcement effort to date, federal agencies seized 50 containers with 500,000 kg of ewaste at the Port of Vancouver; 27 Canadian companies settled out of court for about $2000 apiece; Ottawa still refuses to release their names. [read story]
Rather than loading your old computer onto a container ship for questionable destinations, Free Geek Vancouver contends that reuse is the highest form of recycling. The leftover material that must be scrapped stays almost entirely within Canada for processing, at facilities that verifiably do not export. A small amount of material is sent to other recyclers who can prove they abide by the Basel Convention. Free Geek itself takes the time to research recyclers before sending them anything, and expects them to be transparent as well.
A list of their recyclers is listed online for the public to see. Free Geek has always been open about their recyclers as a matter of course; additionally, their mailing list archive and meetings are open to the public. Part of the e-Steward qualification process involved BAN verifying that Free Geek Vancouver actually sends their materials to these recyclers as claimed.
"When we started, it was really hard to find recyclers who wanted to cooperate and put up with us; they're rare and it takes a lot of energy to find them and make sure they're for real. The work that BAN does with the e-Stewards program makes it easier for others to find the good guys," says Ifny.
"What have we learned? That secrecy and claims about 'trade secrets,' or even simple vagueness should set off warning bells -- not to mention that some recyclers just lie outright. You have to ask questions, dig deeper. Even re-use organisations can lie, saying they give the stuff to poor people or whatever, but everyone has to understand that no one is checking on them to see if it's true, or where they send their scrap. It should be mandatory for companies to provide names and bills of lading to a reputable third party, and to have real penalties for bad practices. It's harder for abuses to go on if we all try to watch out for each other, and share our resources."
Geek Press Conference @ 1820 Pandora, Tues Apr 29 at 10:00am
Submitted by ifny on Mon, 2008-04-28 16:05.Apr 29 2008 - 10:00
Apr 29 2008 - 13:28
Location(s)
OOh! What's this then?
WHAT: Press Conference, Q&A, Photo Opportunity, accordion
One of our favourite e-waste ninjas, Jim Puckett, possibly the world's leading expert on toxic trade, and founder of international ewaste watchdogBasel Action Network will be holding a press conference, along with our own Ifny Lachance and David Repa at Free Geek. There will be a Q&A and photo opportunities, including a tourof the Free Geek reuse/recycling depot and volunteer facility. Coffee and baked goodies, as well as a humane accordion serenade will be provided by Rowan Lipkovitz and a Creaking Plank.
WHEN: Tuesday April 29 - 10:00am
WHERE: Free Geek Vancouver, 1820 Pandora Street, Vancouver BC.
Pandora is between Hastings and Powell, and 1820 lies between Commercial
and Victoria. Media parking and entrance in rear. MAP:
http://freegeekvancouver.org/directions
Relevant Links:
http://ban.org
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FG @ Earth Day Celebration, Sat Apr 26, 11am-5pm, Jericho Park
Submitted by ifny on Wed, 2008-04-23 12:02.Apr 26 2008 - 11:00
Apr 26 2008 - 17:00
Location(s)
Earth Day Celebration
Saturday, April 26, 2008, 11am to 5pm
Jericho Beach Park, Vancouver, B.C.
Free Geek will again have a geek booth at the Earth Day festivities on Jericho Beach. Drop by and say hello! (Look for the huge FREE GEEK banner in the "eco village.")
Better yet, if you want to help spread the word about free & open source, e-waste, or fun with compooters, volunteer to hang out at our booth! It's a fun day in the sunshine, and people are always interested to find out what a Free Geek is :)
To volunteer, contact Ifny for more details at 604-879-4335, or email her at
ifny {at} freegeekvancouver {d0t} org
See you on the beach!
From the Evergreen website:
"Last
year, more than 3,000 people came to Jericho Park for Earth Day. This
year we are expecting record crowds to converge for a day of
celebration, restoration and hands-on participation. Come be part of it
all!"
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Free Geek @ Waste Not, Want Not - April 12 to June 15, Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey
Submitted by ifny on Wed, 2008-04-16 18:39.Apr 12 2008 - 12:00
Jun 15 2008 - 16:00
Location(s)
Waste Not, Want Not
A New Exhibit about New, Old & Innovative ways of Recycling Materials
Free Geek is being featured as part of the Waste Not, Want Not exhibit at the Historic Stewart Farm in Surrey. We are making history!
This exhibit will focus on the conceptof thrift and the origins of the 5-R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,Reclaim, & Reuse. The theme will be based on historical examplesfrom early farmers from the 1900's leading up to the present day. Youwill learn 50 ways to convert garbage to treasures, traditional methodsof composting and how technologies have changed in objects through theuse of wood, coal, oil to electricity and mass production. Specificexamples will be displayed using household goods, furnishing, everydaytools, textiles, clothing, toys, computers and much more.
April 12 - June 15, 2008
Open Saturdays & Sundays
12 noon - 4:00 pm and by appointment by calling 604-592-6956
at the Stewart Hall building, Historic Stewart Farm
13723 Crescent Road, Surrey
www.heritage.surrey.ca
More info:
Use it up! Wear it out! Make it do! This is the focus of the Historic Stewart Farm’s inspirational new exhibit “Waste Not, Want Not”, on display from April 12-June 15. The exhibit explores the concept of thrift and the origins of the 5 Rs – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Reclaim. Through 50 fascinating examples of facts, imagery, artifacts and handmade collectibles, visitors can learn about the history of waste from past civilizations, find out about the first community recycling programs in the 1890s, how farmers made do with the little they had, and lessons learned from the wars and consumerism into the 20th century .
Displays of household goods, furnishings, common tools, textiles, toys, art, computers and more help us discover how the waste we toss today compares to the waste that was thrown away by other civilizations. How long does it take an aluminum can to biodegrade? How do you get polar fleece from a plastic pop bottle? What fun can be had from inventing new things from old materials?
Discover different ways of converting garbage to treasure through the reuse of tin cans, scrap metal, old clothing, jars, paper, ceramics, and more. Find out about traditional and new methods of growing food, composting and how technologies have changed through the use of organic, synthetic and manufactured goods. Learn about the Top 10 most useful items for storage and items for kids. Explore the characteristics of materials such as wood, paper, bone, leather, plastic, tin and how technologies influenced mass production. Find out where you can take your old TV, computer, appliance, eyeglasses and pop cans.
On Saturday, April 19 from 12noon-4:00pm, the Where Does it Go? program will showcase various local recycling companies, including Free Geek, and provide answers to your questions about exactly where materials that we throw away finally end up (all ages, drop in, admission by donation). Ifny Lachance from Free Geek will be giving two informal talks during the afternoon about computer recycling.
On Saturday, May 10 from 1:00pm-2:30pm Blue Box Toys will give kids the opportunity to make amazing and unique toys from recyclable materials such as milk jugs and yogurt containers. Dr. Recycle will teach creative tricks to help kids learn how to reuse items that are often tossed out. Fee is $6/child (7-11 yrs). Please pre-register by calling 604-592-6956.
“Waste Not, Want Not” will be on display in Stewart Hall on Saturdays and Sundays from 12noon-4pm, or by appointment by calling 604-592-6956. The Historic Stewart Farm is located at 13723 Crescent Road in South Surrey. Suggested admission is $5/adult, $3.75 Students, $2/50/child & Youth, 5 & under free. For more information call 604-592-6956 or visit www.heritage.surrey.ca
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Ubuntu Vancouver Meeting, Thurs. April 10, 7-9pm @ Free Geek (1820 Pandora, back door)
Submitted by ifny on Thu, 2008-04-03 19:14.Apr 10 2008 - 19:00
Apr 10 2008 - 21:00
Location(s)
Ubuntu Vancouver Meeting
(Our first one, yoo hoo!)
*When*:
April 10, 2008 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
*Where*: Free Geek (back door) [directions]
*Agenda*:
1. Welcome to Ubuntu Vancouver
2. Introduction to Free Geek
3. Announce Hardy Heron Release Party
4. Discussion: What Ubuntu Vancouver can do for me.
5. Closing Remarks
Thank you all! Please feel free to forward this announcement to anyone
you feel would be interested in joining Ubuntu Vancouver and may not
have already seen it.
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Geek Booth at Massive Tech Trade Show, April 1, 9-5pm
Submitted by ifny on Fri, 2008-03-28 18:52.Apr 1 2008 - 09:00
Apr 1 2008 - 17:00
Location(s)
Tues Apr 1 from 9-5pm at the Vancouver Convention Centre (the white sails downtown)
We're booth 116, come visit us!!
We have complimentary tradeshow passes for anyone who would like them.
You can validate a ticket for yourself [HERE]
Once you validate the ticket online you won't have to pay the $29 when you
get to the Convention Centre -- just find the area for people who already
have tickets and they can look you up.
Unfortunately we don't have free tickets to the speaker's conference, but if you do plan to go, check out Ifny's panel at 11am "The Economics of Going Green."
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