Last year we discovered the most amazing online network of individuals who have created more than 4,000 local communities within a massive global community of four million plus members; all who have the intention of giving and receiving ‘stuff’ for free. It’s called the Freecycle Network. The concept behind Freecycle is a little of Pay it Forward with an emphasis on ‘avoid the landfill’ and ‘protect the environment’.
"Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community." http://www.freecycle.org
What does that mean? Well, here’s an example of what Jeff, Emma, and I have received since joining the Freecycle Network in the past year:
- brand new boxes of outlet covers and safety door knob covers to baby-proof our home
- bags and bags of baby clothes
- an adorable pink snow suit from BabyGap for Emma’s first winter (she’ll need it up here in Canada, eh!)
- an infant car seat
- a Graco Pack and Play Playpen with change table
And, here are some things our community members received from us:
- a BBQ cover
- a native print rug
- approximately 50 Iris plants
- baby bottles and liners
- baby clothes that Emma has outgrown
- empty grain feed bags
- a full-length mirror
What’s the cost? Nothing. It’s run by volunteers and membership is free. The only cost you may incur is from the gas you use to pick up (or if you choose to, drop off) the goodies. And, since we try to coordinate our trips into town with our Freecycle drop-offs/pick-ups, we aren’t spending anything more than a few extra minutes.
What are the benefits? As I mentioned before, these items are potentially diverted from the landfill, we have made some incredible friends through the network, and, we have found a group of like-minded ‘eco-conscious’ and natural living individuals in our own local community. Plus, we have removed so much clutter from our home.
How do you sign up? Freecycle is set up as a Yahoo Group, so if you already have a Yahoo username and password, you don’t have to register with Yahoo. Once you have your Yahoo username and password you can sign up by:
- Going to Freecycle’s Web Site:
http://www.freecycle.org/
- Searching for a local group by typing in your town/city name in the orange box and clicking ‘GO’. * If you don’t find one for your local community, search by county or region, or use ‘browse groups’ button at the top of the page to find the closest one to your home. We are pretty much among the cows and corn here, yet we found a group that encompasses our area.
- Once you find your local group, follow the link to their respective home page.
- Click on ‘Join this Group’ to set up your membership.
How do you post messages? Each Freecycle group has a standard etiquette for posting messages (you may experience some variation depending on the group)
- If you want something put “WANTED: XYZ item” in the subject line of your post
- If you have something to give put “OFFERED: XYZ item” in the subject line of your post
- And, out of courtesy to others who may look at your posts, once something is taken, post again and say “TAKEN: XYZ item” in the subject of your post.
And, a little thing I learned along the way...at first I chose to receive a ‘daily digest’, which meant I received all the email postings from Freecycle at the end of the day in one message. I quickly discovered that because the postings arrived at the end of the day, I missed opportunities, as Freecycle is first-come first-serve. I changed my options on the Yahoo Group to receive individual email postings. That way when something comes along that is of interest, I receive the posting immediately and have a great chance of asking questions or committing to it right away.
If you have any questions or aren’t able to find a Freecycle group near you, let me know. I’m happy to help you find one, or help you set up your membership. Or, you may be the perfect person to start one in your community.
Happy Freecycling!
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