Eco-friendly website turns garden into cash cow

Press release
For immediate release

17/12/2009

Eco-friendly website turns garden into cash cow.

Three Christchurch friends have just launched a website that can turn excess fresh produce from any garden into cash (or a food swap) and encourage sustainable food production in the process.

Called locavore365.org (a “Locavore” is someone who eats local produce), the site allows users to sell, swap or give-away fresh produce from their gardens.
“It’s quite simple,” explains one of the site’s founders, Hamish Kirke. “If, for example, someone has an excess of Lemons on a tree in their garden. Instead of letting the fruit go to waste, they can now offer it to people in their area, online. Whether they wish to sell the item, give it away or swap it for another item is up to the user.”

The site uses geo-location mapping technology that allows the user to search a specified distance radius from their location. Mike Fowler (another founder of the site) explains that any logged in user “can search for fresh produce located within 500 metres or as far away as 250 kilometres.

The third member of the Christchurch trio, Simon O’Sullivan (a keen vegetable gardener) came up with the idea for the site when he was out digging ups carrots. “Technology is playing a big part in everyday life and helps make our world a better place. This website (we believe) will play a key role in strengthening local communities and nurturing the Locavore movement.”

Aimed at the worldwide Locavore community, the website is available in a number of languages including French and German. Just 10 days old, the site has already received hundreds of visits from “Locavores” in Europe, the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

Website address: www.locavore365.org

ENDS

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