Learn to Freecycle

I'm not sure how much I can stress the beauty that is freecycle. Our family would live a much less comfortable lifestyle without freecycle. If you are not familiar with it, freecycle is an online swap board. There is one for most major and even moderately-sized cities. Everything offered is free, you generally just have to be willing to go haul it. You can also offer things on freecycle, as an easy way to get rid of stuff you don't want or need without either hauling them away or having them clutter up the landfills. It is awesome, both in it's ability to keep things out of the waste stream, and in providing those of us who are trying to live in a more green and thrifty manner a better quality of life. Everything you reuse or obtain used is automatically a "green" good.

This is freecycle's official site. You can find the group closest to you, and sign up for their listserv.

How freecycle works:

• an individual will list an item on freecycle
• the listing will look something like this (depending on your area): OFFER: water heater: Kansas City
• if you need a water heater, you click on the e-mail.
• The body of the e-mail will generally tell you more about what is offered. For example, 40-gallon water heater, in working condition, just removed from our home when we upgraded for a newer model.
• The e-mail will also sometimes list conditions that you must meet to be eligible for this item. For example, must be able to pick up today, must be the first to respond, or need to be able to bring your own truck.
• If you are interested and meet the conditions, then you e-mail the person directly by replying to the e-mail.
• The poster will e-mail you if you "won" the item, and let you know when and where to pick it up.
  

There are several ways to "do" freecycle. Each way has it's own pros and cons.

1. You can get individual e-mails from your freecycle organization. This will vastly clutter up your e-mail inbox. However, if you are willing to put in place e-mail filters, or just deal with the extra clutter, you will have a much better chance of "winning" some of the freecycle items that often get grabbed up quickly. This method works especially well if you are home or near your computer frequently during the day. This is what I do.
   
2. You can get a daily digest of all of the offerings of the day. This will ensure you get much less e-mail. However, you may be too late too receive consideration on a lot of the items.
3. You can check your local freecycle site directly. You will not receive any e-mails, but you will have to check the site frequently to be able to have any chance of receiving any items.

However you chose to freecycle, get involved. It is such an amazing organization and will make becoming more sustainable an easier process. We have furnished our home -- with multiple book shelves, antiques, a piano, a cart for the kitchen, a couch, electronics, kitchen appliances, a mattress for one of the kid's beds. We have gotten things for outside -- a trampoline (I am not kidding), a swing for the backyard, bikes, a patio table, gardening equipment. I have clothed and shod my family. I cannot even list here everything we have received from freecycle. We have also gotten rid of so many things that we didn't need without having to haul them to the thrift store, or having them end up in the landfill.

I have heard that in some larger cities, like New York, it can be difficult to get things. But don't despair, keep trying. It will happen. And you will be glad you got involved. Take the time and get involved in freecycle, you will not regret it.