Two free zones were organized this Saturday in Charente-Maritime. The principle: on a day, we wear reflective clothing lay down what serves us more and we recover what we need. The aim is to raise awareness about the re-use of objects.
The union organized this Saturday two free zones in Charente-Maritime, one in Royale, the other in Saint. This is the sixth edition in the department. A free zone is like a flea market or an empty attic except that there is no transaction, no exchange of money or barter. During this day, everyone gets what he wants and gives what he wants. The one who comes empty-handed can also leave with business.
The objective of these days is to raise awareness of re-use and the fight against waste, because many objects are thrown away at the waste dump when they can re-use. Volunteers in safety vest help to deal with the things. According to Merle, communication and prevention manager, “it is impossible to pick up items at the waste disposal center, it is prohibited and dangerous, so we thought that organizing free zones could raise awareness So that they could see that the objects they no longer needed served others.”
According to the mixed union, re-use and repair make it possible to avoid 13 kilos of waste per inhabitant per year.
“An extraordinary idea”
In Saint, among the people who made the trip in this free zone installed in the multipurpose hall, there is Jean who comes for the first time. A friend told him about the concept; he has a hard time believing it: “I find this extraordinary idea, it questions me and I am curious so I come to see if it is true”. And that’s true, Claudine can confirm it. She has come for three years to recover “what she needs and no more”. Claudine arrives with a list a head, this time she searches for children’s books and clothes.
Next to the room where all the stuff is gathered, the clothes, the books, the knick-knacks, there is a line of cars and people who come to lay down what they no longer want. The young woman “loves the zones of gratuity”. She brings every year the things she does not need any more so that they have “a second life” and then she goes to hunt for her and for her children.
To manage these free zones, on each site, there are about sixty volunteers, all in fluorescent reflective vest. The associations are integrated into the project because they want to make them known. According to Merle, “It is to tell people, the objects you get here; you can buy them all year round in solidarity shops at very low prices.”