Freecycle: What Is It And Why Is It Good For Our Neighborhood

Why Freecycle

Freecycle is a simple listserv that you sign up for and post to either “OFFER” items you want to get rid of of contact other posters of items you may want. It’s recycling. Over the years, as I have cleaned out closets and cabinets and come up with items that local charities like Good Will or even our neighborhood “Art for Humanity” (633 25th Street S) don’t take, I have posted them on Freecycle and, within a couple of days, a grateful neighbor has re-purposed something I don’t need to give it more life. As a simple example, I had some old stools that I had used during some home renovation so they had gotten drywall mud and paint on them and had no future in my house but, a local art teacher loved that they were free and already looked like they belonged in an art class.

In the past, Freecycle was a Yahoo Group. Very soon, all Freecycle posts will be hosted on their own website. If you have been a subscriber, consider migrating your account to their new website (the details are posted below) If you haven’t used Freecycle before, consider signing up especially if you are coming across more and more stuff in you place that you don’t need or use but might be useful to someone else.

Freecycle is also a great place to look for stuff you (or that new college student in your life) might need for free. Need to furnish that apartment AND pay tuition? Freecycle needs givers just as much as they need takers.

Happy Freecycling,

Jim Oliver

Category: Take Note