Camp Long Lodge was buzzing with bartering on Saturday, Nov. 27 as people from around the area arrived with a wide variety of items to trade in the Sustainable West Seattle Money Free Shopping Spree.

One of the participants, Steve Tracy from Boulevard Park was there to trade for his recycled aluminum trivets. He's been making them for more than twenty years. "I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet so I'll be looking here for something," Tracy said. As for barter as a way to do business he said, "There's a place for it but you still need cash."

The brainchild of Alki Bike and Board's Stu Hennesey the event is growing every year. Patrick Dunn of Sustainable West Seattle described the event. "There's no money spent on this. It's just a lot of people's crafts, recycled goods or things that they have, quality things that they have around their house that they'd like to trade. Your first trade is scheduled. Each person gets a number so for example a 3 with trade with a 3 and then from there you are on your own. You can bring as many things to this as you like."

Hennessey said," When we started to have the economy do the downturn I was thinking about the people who didn't have the money to go out and buy things but would have the time. A lot of people have more time on their hands these days, and have the time to make things, instead of buying things. There's not enough things made in America anymore. I also look at Black Friday, even though I'm a retailer, as not my favorite way of consumerism, so I always like to promote the idea of thinking outside that box. This way people are able to hone their skills and not fall into that trap. Maybe we can keep alive some of these other types of consumerism."

A first timer at the event Lisa Koffman said, "I have never done this before and I'm not a crafty person. I'm not really even a seamstress I just really wanted to come to this because I thought it was such a good idea. I thought 'I can cut out little squares and put hems on them," and she came up with her products which are multi-colored hankies or napkins.