The townspeople of Eskilstuna in Sweden live in one of the most environment-friendly towns in the world, transformed from a grimy steel-producing place to a town with buses and cars powered by biogas and electricity, low carbon combined heat and power plants and effective recycling.

But it is best known for a shopping mall devoted to taking in surplus-to-requirements goods donated by the residents, and then re-selling them to fellow residents.  The scheme is a huge success. No domestic waste goes to a landfill.  This way, people pick up for a song furniture, pictures, electric and other goods while others find homes for things they no longer want.  Apparently this is a profitable as well as a useful development that could be adopted everywhere.

“Waste-not-want-not” was not a phrase used by Epicurus in his non-consumerist epoch, but were he alive today, he would be advocating more ideas like it. He would save money on things and spend time with people, exchanging ideas and enjoying life.

Were I young and energetic again I think I would like to copy this, maybe in Yorkshire, famous for the carefulness and canniness of its people, and their liking for bargains.