Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Everything Old is New Again.

by Kelly

A while back, I found an article about how everyday people can green-up their lives. It was so long ago that I forgot to copy it for the purpose of this blog.

This article endorsed a website called www.freecycle.com.   Through this website, you can get rid of things that would otherwise fill up landfills, or you could pick up things that are of no use to someone else, that you may need. I was intrigued and set up an account so I could give you all a report on the process. Did I mention that all items are FREE!!

Note: This site is run through Yahoo.com and you have to register for Yahoo to use the site. You must register with the Freecycle community closest to your geographic location. Items you post are to be given away for free, just as items wanted are also for free.

Through Freecycle, I successfully found homes for a washing machine, large toys my kids outgrew, and a dresser. The moderators were great at guiding me through the posting process. It was a great alternative to calling for large item pick up from my town. I felt good about not contributing to the trash pile with my stuff. There are a couple of things you do need to know once you begin to use the site – more annoyances than anything else. Every time someone posts a wanted or offered item, you get an email notice. You are also notified when an item is taken. Typically I’ll get 4-10 email notices per day. On rare occasions, I’ve gotten up to 20 in one day. If you don’t mind your inbox filling up, I guess it’s not a huge deal. I am a compulsive deleter so it makes me a little crazy sometimes.  Also, the wanted items became super repetitive – lots of folks looking for travel vouchers to Disney theme parks and free baby formula coupons. I’m not sure these things help as much in terms of reducing landfill – after all, coupons can be recycled or donated to area women’s shelters. For all of my items offered, people committed and didn’t show up to pick up the item. In the case of the washer, it went to the fifth person who responded to my listing. A healthy dose of patience is needed in these cases. The other items were picked up within a day of posting. 

It’s much like an online flea market. You have to move fast if you think you may want something offered, and pictures of the items help. It can also save you huge amounts of money. If you need something, ask for it, and you may get it for free. If you’re not fussy and don’t mind gently used things, this is really the way to go.

Bottom line: if you have something that isn’t broken and you simply want it gone, post it and help the planet! Your trash really could be someone else’s treasure!