Freecycling: Save Dough, Save Stuff

Freecycling is a phenomenon that enables people to give unneeded but usable items to others at no cost. Whether you call it ethical shopping, sustainable giving, sharing, waste reclamation or simply free stuff, this grass roots movement with over 5 million members started as an effort to promote waste reduction and prevent unnecessary clogging of landfills.

There are myriad freecycle links:

* Locate a Freecycle Network near you by using the original freecycle database.

* Yahoo offers a search engine of FREE IS GOOD listings.

* Use this recycle group finder to locate a trading center.

* Check for the closest Free Reuse meetup group near you.

* Ecoflip offers Green Classifieds and even EcoPersonals.

* Virtual Dumpsters is an online swap that enables users to locate items through an RSS alert option.

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* Find a Yahoo Freecycle news group near you.

Electronics:
* Free Computer Recycling.

Clothing:
* Find a clothing swap event near you.

Car-sharing:
* Zip car is a leading car sharing company. Find a zip car location near you. Read about Zipcar's green benefits.

* RideAmigos is a database of taxi ride share requests.

Interesting Links:

* The Berkeley, California Public Library offers a tool lending library.

* Read about the Freecycle Treasures users have received and reused such as pickling jars, fabric scraps for quilting and even a cat!

* A local freecycle spinoff was started in Catalonia, Spain.

Related:

:: Read Maura Judkis's blog 4 Easy Ways To Be A Freegan from the Huffington Post.
:: Olivia Zaleski offers tips on the Art of Dumpster Diving from the Huffington Post.
:: Read more at the Huffington Post Green Living big news page.

Comments

[seamusnh]

Another way to move free stuff is via craigslist which has a free section and an "items wanted" section...
My town in NH has a "still good" shed the boy scouts built. Drop off any still good things there that you don't want and someone will pick them up. I got rid of a lot of the kids toys that way; also got a nice stereo system for my garage and some furniture I refinished...

[patianneb]

SORRY...that was freecycle.org

[patianneb]

I think this is a super idea but when I joined local group I found out they allow people to offer ANIMALS, especially cats & dogs.
Free Cats & Dogs are prime targets for predators who sell them to research labs.
I contacted the local group.
They said they had taken a vote and it was almost unanimous among members. (The vote was taken in 2004 when the group was formed).
I was also told bad things happen to animals even when they are adopted out through the ASPCA, and that the "same things happen" through local newspapers & Craig's List. In other words, not their problem.

Isn't there a charter of some kind?