Environmentalist and Ravensbourne resident Jarrod Hodson has set up a Facebook group for free new and used building materials in Otago.
Mr Hodson, who is also a member of the West Harbour Community Board, said he came up with the idea after cleaning out his parents’ home about six months ago.
He had accumulated a lot of hardware that he did not have a use for, but also did not want to throw away.
He also noticed good quality wood was being thrown away into skips around his community, which he said he could have used himself instead of buying it new.
The Facebook group was a way for people in similar situations to exchange excess building materials — all free of charge.
"Just about anything you want, someone will have it and they’re in the same position as me — they don’t want to throw it out but it’s kind of in the way."
Pretty much anything in an awkward quantity that could be reused and recycled — tools, timber, plasterboard and other building offcuts — was available to pick up from the group.
"Every product left over probably has a use for someone else."
The intention was "to prevent that trip to go and buy a full product when you only need a small amount.
"I can already see really good interaction with people which is great."
Mr Hodson said he had only started the group on Sunday afternoon, and membership had already shot to more than 500 people by noon yesterday.
A ranch slider, sheets of plasterboard and wooden louvre doors had already been advertised on the page.
He said he had already run a couple of other online groups, which had taught him the power of connecting people and making things accessible.
Excess materials lying around the house could also be a hassle to get rid of, so passing it on to someone else was also doing people a favour.
Mr Hodson said reducing waste was an effort everyone could be a part of.
He hoped the group would lead to a reduction in waste and unnecessary spending, all while doing the environment a favour.
