If you have ever needed something and acquired the item
from, a friend, family member or neighbor for free, you know how Freecycle
groups work. Freecycle groups connect people who need items with others who
seek to eliminate or dispose items that they own. Typically, the items that
people would like to eliminate, clothes, shoes, furniture, books, or household
appliances are still useful, but perhaps the person has outgrown the clothes
and has upgraded to newer appliances.
How Freecycle Groups
Help the Environment
People love to receive free items, and people who are trying
to eliminate the clutter love when others take items off their hands. Freecycle
groups are not focused on getting new items. Freecycle groups help to recycle
items that could very well fill landfills and have a negative impact on the
environment. When you view pictures of an area on Sanborn maps, you might see
evidence of environmental damage from pollution.
Freecycle groups work particularly well if you would like to
give away furniture that is so heavy that you will need to hire movers to
remove the items. If you have bags of usable clothing, you can post a general
description of the contents on an e-mail list that will be sent to members of
the local Freecycle group and an interested party will come and take the items
away for you. You can choose to meet the person in a public place, like the
library or at public storage facility, if you wish. Because there are plenty of
local chapters, you are essentially giving and receiving items from your
neighbors. Searching for things that you could use saves time. You do not have
to go to garage sales, flea markets, or discount stores for these items. Of
course, the items are free, so people who use the service save money.
When people use Freecycle groups to dispose of items (by
giving them away) or to get things that they need locally, they save fuel that
they would use going from place to place in an automobile. During tough
economic times, people who really need clothing or other items to maintain or
establish a higher quality of life, can get the items that they want in a
method that allows them to still feel dignified and feel as though they are
making a contribution to efforts to reduce negative environmental impact. Most
people do not want to waste valuable and expensive fuel to drive a long
distance to get items, even if they are free. The ability to pick up items that
are nearby, and get items that you might normally have to pay for, can really
help people who are struggling financially.
Where are Freecycle
Groups?
The use of a Freecycle group isn’t limited to people who
live in the United States. Several other countries around the world have
groups. A greater impact can be made when a large number of people in various
locations participate. There are two general requirements for people who use a
Freecycle group: the items posted must be totally free, and they must be legal.
Local groups have a moderator who makes sure that people comply to the rules.
Sometimes local groups require that members post items and not merely receive
them. This rule keeps the local group balanced with items that are offered as
people who need things.
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