[cooltheplanet] Reduce, reuse, recycle...or Freecycle

[Tree Hugger]

In the interests of starting the new year a little lighter and less encumbered by stuff, get in touch with your local Freecycle network. Freecycle is a simple (though somewhat revolutionary, in our new-new-new obsessed society) internet-based concept that allows users to post free items and look for used (free) items they need. Freecycle's stated purpose is to recycle perfectly good items, thereby reducing the amount of thrown-away things that end up in our landfills.

Our household got turned on to Freecycle after my husband attempted unsuccessfully to give away a slightly worn sofa (the result of combining two houses of furniture) using the familiar avenues (charitable organizations, etc.). We were more than a little chagrined to realize that most people simply throw away their unwanted furniture, and thrilled to discover the Freecycle sphere where we found a new home for our old but still usable couch.

It's a curious phenomenon of our easy-credit economy that there seems to be less and less demand for used goods from worthy outfits like Goodwill Industries. I recently tried to donate a set of ski boots and skis - still in good shape and seemingly a great deal for someone new to skiing - at my local Goodwill store, only to find out that they no longer accept ski equipment because "kids won't buy used equipment, they all want new skis". Thank goodness that, if people aren't as eager to buy used stuff, at least they'll take it for free.

Check out http://www.freecycle.org/, and they next time you're tempted to throw out your unwanted stuff, try "Freecycling" it instead.

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Posted By Tree Hugger to cooltheplanet at 12/31/2007 06:32:00 PM