Sending out regular e-mails to your members is a great way to keep in touch. Lindsay McClung and Neeraj Agrawal, who administer www.giffordslist.org, have done a great job using the 'Email Member' feature. If you're looking for a little inspiration, click below to see one of Giffordslist's latest member e-mails:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2132
http://www.sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=378

Wish you had more options when e-mailing them? Have a suggestion? We're upgrading this feature, and want your input. Click on one of the Communication Center links to add any requests for options you might want:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2038&p=7472&e=7472
http://www.sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=319

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Our Exchange Launch Guide now includes marketing and outreach strategies for both pre and post launch, to help you plan and implement ongoing promotional activities.

We've also included information about how to track your efforts, making evaluating these activities much easier.

Click here to download the guide:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/new_exchange_guides/exchange_launch_guide.pdf

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Do you run an industrial/commercial or biomass exchange? If so, you'll notice we've made some changes to the way sorted listings are displayed. This should make it much easier for users to see that they can, in fact, sort listings. We've added arrows next to the column title and the column being sorted is now highlighted grey as you can see in the example below.

For more details see release notice here:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=2076
http://www.sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=339

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In 2009, we started creating a new Directories system called Dynamic Directories. Before this upgrade, it was possible to create only two directories, usually called 'Reuse Charities' and 'Reuse Businesses'. The Dynamic Directories provide several advantages, most importantly, the ability to create an unlimited number of directories.

For more details, see the full release notice here:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=2085
http://www.sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=343

What we changed

We completely changed the layout and the user interface for Searching/Sorting/Sifting within the Dynamic Directories. This will make this function easier to notice and use.

For more details, see the full release notice here:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=2093
http://www.sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=346

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The old directories (usually called 'Reuse Charities' and 'Reuse Businesses') have been removed from your exchange. The data from these has now been moved over into the newer 'Dynamic Directories'.

For more details and tutorials, see the release notice here:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=2093
http://sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=346

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Calling all Residential admins! Recyclopedia and Dynamic Directories can now be linked. Now, you can select Directory entries as 'disposal options' in the Recylcopedia.

On all exchanges: you can now set a directory entry as a Category sponsor which displays at the top of the page when the Category is selected.

For more details, see the full release notice here:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=2098
http://www.sharedharvest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=350

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Bob Patterson is making a difference

“I gotta say, I like what I do, variety, challenges and a job that 'makes a difference.' It's a great thing to come to work everyday.”

When he says things like this, it reinforces what we already knew to be true; he's a great guy who's really passionate about what he does.

Bob Patterson runs 2good2toss in Clark County, Washington. He's got 15+ years of Waste Reduction experience under his belt, working on projects like green building, business recycling and waste reduction, commercial organics collection and working with 2good2toss.com since its inception in 2003.

In addition to his residential 2good2toss website, he's also in the process of launching a new SharedHarvest exchange in Clark County. We recently asked him a few questions about his experience as an admin and here's what he had to say:

What's it like being an exchange administrator?

It is a PIECE OF CAKE, and I wish more people would try it because I highly recommend it. Like many things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. I have more to put into it.

Why did you decide to start another exchange (Shared Harvest)?

I’ve been a big fan of 2good2toss from the start. We here in Clark County Washington live right on the edge of a pretty big population known as Portland Oregon. Tucked down here in the corner of SW Washington we are technically a part of the greater Portland Metro Region. But in so many ways, separate from all that goes on on the south side of the Columbia River. Not having this population as part of our exchange (yet) we are looking for new ways to drive users to 2good2toss.com, ways to develop and enhance the site. Commercial food waste and good edible food is a huge part of our waste stream here. And Hunger is way too prevalent in our community as well. We are composting good edible food. Shared Harvest is a no brainer so we applied for some grant money from the state to get it and to even develop it with more options to come. Thank you - iWasteNot.

Favorite quote

Too many to choose from, but given my slice of life it would have to be something from my dearly departed, she was always telling me, “If it was easy, everyone would do it.” (How true.)

Personal success story

He even has his own fantastic personal success story using 2good2toss.com. He'd been contemplating getting a new, front loading, low water washing machine for a while, knowing his was on its way out. When his old machine suddenly quit one day, he needed a replacement and wasn't ready to make such a large purchase. He decided to look on 2good2toss for a replacement washer to get him by in the meantime. The very next morning, as he was in the process of approving listings, low and behold; someone had posted a listing for the exact kind of washing machine he'd been wanting, for $100. He says “being the outstanding public servant that I am here, I approved the listing and turned it loose on 2good2toss.com, then I IMMEDIATELY called the listing party and told them, sold, I'll be there this evening” When he asked the elderly couple why they were selling such a gem for so cheap and so new, the gentleman said “My wife doesn't think it uses enough water” to which he replied “Oh yeah, I hate it when that happens. Well, I'll give it a try and see how it does.”

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We welcome our newest exchange partners to the growing iWasteNot Systems community!

Website: http://www.sharedharvest.net/connecticut
Type of Exchange: Food
Site Administrator: Emily Brooks
Client: Emily Brooks & Edibles Advocate Alliance

Website: http://www.ctmaterialtrader.org
Type of Exchange: Industrial/Commercial
Site Administrator: KC Alexander
Client: Connecticut DEP

Website: http://www.dcbusinesssurplus.com
Type of Exchange: Industrial/Commercial
Site Administrator: George P. Dreckmann
Client: City of Madison and Dane County

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'Collect weight range from members' setting - to click or not to click

This setting applies only to RESIDENTIAL and Internal/Corporate exchanges, so it's important if you run any other type of exchange that you do not turn it on. Different types of exchanges collect different types of data for reports. We have this setting in place so that folks trying to get rid of a household item can select the weight based on the sample list. However, if you turn this on and it does not pertain to the nature of items being exchanged it can be confusing for members trying to accurately fill in the listing form.

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• 10 Ways to Reuse Cardboard: http://home.howstuffworks.com/family-kids-crafts/recycled/other/10-ways-to-reuse-cardboard.htm
• iWasteNot Systems designer Reva Diana does more than design your exchanges. Check out this article to find out what: http://www.straight.com/article-299392/vancouver/art-makes-philippine-women-visible-again

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