1820 Pandora Street
Vancouver, BC
V5L 1M5
604-879-GEEK (4335)
OPEN - Tues. ~ Sat.
11:00am - 6:00pm
CLOSED - Sun. Mon.
community
Workshop: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line, Thurs. July 31st, 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
Submitted by ifny on Tue, 2008-07-08 20:27.Jul 31 2008 - 18:30
Jul 31 2008 - 20:00
Location(s)
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line,
Thurs. July 31st 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
The command line is an interface, or way of interacting with a computer, which is text-only (as opposed to a graphical user interface, or GUI).
When using the command line, you type commands at a prompt (a.k.a. cursor).
This free workshop is a good idea for beginners interested in learning programming, computer building, or for those who like idea of learning some basic finesse with their digital friend.
- No command-line experience is required
- You need a basic familiarity with using computers (nothing fancy)
- You can either be new to free and open source, or experienced with it
- Space is limited, so pre-register for this class by emailing info -AT- freegeekvancouver -D0T-org
- Please bring a laptop (running a free operating system) if you have one, so we can accomodate more people in our computer lab.
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Workshop: Practical Python @ Free Geek, Wed. July 16th, 7-9pm, 1820 Pandora St. (back door)
Submitted by ifny on Tue, 2008-06-17 15:03.Jul 16 2008 - 19:00
Jul 16 2008 - 21:00
Location(s)
Want to learn Python???
WHAT: Python Working Group presents "Practical Python at Free Geek"
DAY: Wed. July 16th (note the date has been changed)
TIME: 7:00-9:00pm
Come learn Python by example, as you find out how Free Geek handles hard drive testing and issue tracking needs with this cool language. Gain transferable Python skills that will help you solve your own interesting problems. Meet people like you as you master Python's ins and outs.
NOTE: This workshop is for people who have some exposure to programming concepts, but limited exposure to Python. Please bring a laptop if you have one, so we can accomodate more people in our computer lab. Space is limited, so pre-register for this class by emailing justanotherpaul -AT- gmail -D0T- com
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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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Ubuntu Vancouver Monthly Meeting, 2nd Thurs of the month @ Free Geek, 6:30-8:30, 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, July 10, 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."
Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron Release Party
Free Geek was proud to hold the Vancouver Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron release party. It is no secret now that computer recycling and free and open source hardware go hand in hand. Linux is one reason we can keep older hardware alive and working well. Hardy Heron is a great edition to the every growing story of Ubuntu. We see a steady stream of people fed up with Vista and wanting more control over their hardware.
Above - The Ubuntu community grows! Having fun at Free Geek, learning and laughing.
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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Ubuntu Vancouver: Hardy Heron Release Party, Friday April 25, 7-10pm
Submitted by iamturnip on Tue, 2008-04-22 18:11.Apr 25 2008 - 19:00
Location(s)
Ubuntu Vancouver: Hardy Heron Release Party
*Two days to the release of Hardy Heron, and Ubuntu Vancouver is going
to celebrate!*
If you haven't reserved your place yet then please click on the link
below to R.S.V.P. See you there.
Sponsored by Ubuntu Vancouver, Free Geek
<http://freegeekvancouver.org/>, and VanLUG <http://vanlug.bc.ca/>.
*When:*
Friday, April 25, 2008 at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
*Where:*
Free Geek
1820 Pandora Street
Vancouver
[directions] <http://freegeekvancouver.org/directions>
*Activities:*
* Networking with fellow Ubuntu enthusiasts.
* Demonstrations of Hardy Heron (installs, upgrades, new features).
* Refreshments (pizza, chips, fruit, veggies, pop, juice, water).
Please R.S.V.P. to Kim Kulak
<mailto:kim@kulak.ca?subject=RSVP%20Hardy%20Heron&body=Number%20of%20persons%20to%20attend%20=%20>
so that we may get a good estimate of the number of people who plan to
attend. Thank you.
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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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