01:00 PM : Street Party with the Sprockettes @ Free Geek

Party (Launch/B-Day/Etc.) Flyered by Rob W.

While geeks have been out of fashion, then in, free never goes out of style.

I think my earliest awareness that there was such a thing as an environmental problem was contemplating where there would be enough space to dump garbage. Well of course we've figured that out - in the ocean and in China. Although construction waste is the largest contributer to our landfills, generating 2 pounds of waste per square foot of construction, electronics waste, at 2-5% of the waste stream (see the photos of Seattle artist Chris Jordan 1,2,3), is rising the fastest. Oh yeah, it's toxic. That's why Portland is way in front of the curve with the Rebuilding Center and Free Geek.

Free Geek collects old computers. Volunteers assemble the working parts and load them with free software (Linux et al). In exchange for volunteering, you get a free computer to connect to the Internet, create your writings, mail, IM, maybe even start your own blog! You don't need any special skills to participate, they teach you everything you know. Meanwhile they are saving them from the landfill!

Those geeks like fun too, so from 1-7PM they host the Geek Fair! with entertainment by the Sprockettes, bands, sword swallowers, a dunking booth and a beer garden. Ever wanted to smash a printer with a sledghammer and YouTube it? You can there. Plenty of kid friendly events too. Details: http://www.freegeek.org/geekfair/index.html

In a related note, Dell has announced free home pickup and recycling of all Dell equipment. Since the company has a record of the exact materials that went into making each piece of equipment, it can efficiently separate materials for recycling.

www.freegeek.org
1731 SE 10th Free