How to Find Free Stuff and Recycle for the Environment with Freecycle

Do a good deed for yourself and the environment! Rescue a perfectly useful TV set, DVD player, computer keyboard, microwave oven, bed frame or children's toy before it gets tossed out with the garbage! Join Freecycle. Instead of going to the mall for what you need, you'll be able to get it for free. You'll be doing yourself--and the earth--a big favor.

If you've ever visited a landfill or just walked down a city street or alley on garbage day, then you know that Americans throw out a lot of stuff. And a lot of that stuff is still useful. Our society is all about consumerism, and consumerism, unfortunately, leads to waste. We are encouraged to buy cheap and replace quickly. These behaviors aren't good for our environment or our wallets.

The goal of Freecycle is to reduce waste and to keep landfills from overflowing with perfectly good items that can still be used or repurposed. Instead of throwing out that perfectly good easy chair that just doesn't match the new decor or that size 6 dress that no longer fits, Freecycle members post the items as available on a message board. Other members who may be in need of that chair or dress then respond to these ads.

For families going through a rough financial time or young people just starting out on their own, Freecycle is a great boon. Especially in a metropolitan area, it is possible, with some persistence and effort, to obtain the basic furnishings for one's apartment entirely for free using Freecycle.

In some ways, Freecycle is like cruising flea markets or yard sales, except that it's free, and you don't have to go farther than your computer screen to see what is available. And it's a lot cleaner and safer than scavenging the garbage. Plus, you get the satisfaction of knowing that that coffee table you are taking home won't be taking up space in your local landfill.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• internet connection
• e-mail address

1. Go to www.freecycle.org and find your local Freecycle group by entering your city or town and state in the provided text box. Membership in all local Freecycle groups across the country is FREE!

2. Click on the link provided for your local Freecycle group and follow the instructions on the screen provided for new applicants. Some groups will simply ask for some basic information and let you join automatically. Others might ask you to explain why you want to join the group and require your application to be approved by a group moderator before you can begin posting and reading messages.

3. Once you have been approved, you can browse postings on the message board from Freecycle members giving away items for free. You can also choose to receive emails whenever a new item is posted on the Board. In some large metropolitan areas, you have the option of receiving digests of new postings because such a large number of items are added to the board each day.

4. If you see an item on the board that you want or need, reply to the posted message expressing your interest. In your reply, give your contact information--generally, an e-mail address is sufficient, although sometimes a poster will ask for a phone number as well--and propose specific times when you would be able to pick the item up.

5. Wait for the Freecycler who posted the item to respond to your message. If the item is still available, arrange a time to pick it up over e-mail or by phone.

6. Pick up the item. It's free! You owe nothing to the person who gives it you but courtesy, respect, a thank you, and a smile.

7. If you have an item to give away, simply post a message to the message board for your freecycle group. Describe the item in as much detail as possible, and give whatever information you can about it's condition, i.e., whether it is brand new, nearly new, used but working, or damaged. Indicate generally what town or neighborhood you live in. If there are particular times when you will be available at your home to meet your fellow Freecycler and give the item away, then indicate that in your message as well.

8. Wait for a response to your posting. If you receive responses from several different freecyclers interested in the item, you can choose to give the item to whichever one of them you want. You can also specify that certain items go to schools or non-profit organizations, families with children, etc.

9. Arrange a time for pick-up with the Freecycler to whom you decide to give the item.

10. Pat yourself on the back for doing a little something for the environment!

Tips & Warnings

• Generally, if you express interest in an item that has already been given away, the Freecycler who posted the item will e-mail you to let you know. Sometimes, Freecyclers will post a follow-up "taken" message stating that someone has already claimed the item. However, if you don't hear one way or the other about an item that you asked about for a couple days, you can assume that the item has already been taken.
• If you have a particular need for an item that you do not see on the message board, you can post a "wanted" message to let other freecyclers know that you are looking for the item. However, moderators of local freecycle groups, especially very active groups in large cities, generally discourage overuse of "wanted" messages and ask that you keep them to a minimum.
• Freecyclers are, for the most part, warm, cordial, and caring people. However, keep in mind that you are making arrangements to meet and exchange an item with someone who is a complete stranger. It is prudent to take some precautions. Don't include your exact address or phone number in a post that you place directly on the freecycle message board. If you are giving away a small item and you live in an apartment building, you may want to meet the individual who comes to pick up the item at your door or in the lobby of your building.

Resources

• Freecycle Home Page

[sweetspirit]

on 8/16/2009 Great article. Thanks for sharing the information.