Many of us have decided to bring in the New Year with less clutter by cleaning out the closets, the garage and if you’re brave enough, even the attic.
Before you throw anything away, there’s a group that’s making it easy to give and receive items for free.
It’s an international nonprofit organization called The Freecycle Network with nearly nine million members across the globe.
Their mission is to keep as many items as possible, especially electronics, out of landfills.
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“I’m passionate about vintage clothing and have been shopping at thrift shops, vintage boutiques and charity stores for the past 15 years,” Buscombe said. “As a result, I have a talent for discerning trash from treasure.
“I’m also a big fan of the free cycle movement and keeping things, especially beautiful clothing out of landfills.”
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Using “freecycle” is an additional option for our garbage issues.
This is a free Internet service provided whereby there is a method of disposing of items people do not need and no longer want to keep that would otherwise end up on the curb waiting for pick up by our garbage workers.
There is a chapter in Hamilton, as well as in Burlington. An unwanted item is entered on the website and interested people reply. Only when arrangements are made for a pickup is an address given. All manner of items are taken such as furniture, building and landscaping material, leftovers from remodelling, plants, toys, books, clothing, etc. If a particular item is desired, that can be posted as well. This service has saved enormous amounts of items being taken to the dump. The other advantage is that one doesn’t have to haul to the curb for pickup or to the local dump which normally charges a fee.
Anyone can Google “freecycle Hamilton” and sign up.
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MIDLAND – Freecycle Midland will once again host an event to get people to utilize the three Rs.
Participants in the second annual Freecycle Trunk Exchange are people who want to recycle items – a chair, a fax machine, a piano, an old door – rather than see them end up in a landfill.
Visitors to the event browse the merchandise and take home whatever they like free of charge.
The event is scheduled for Oct. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the parking lot at Georgian College’s Robbert Hartog Midland campus.
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WASAGA BEACH – Zero Waste Simcoe is hosting a Too Much Stuff public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 22 when Ronnie Stanley from Freecycle Midland will speak about the international re-use movement.
Inspired by the Story of Stuff, Stanley is an expert on re-use, having recycled houses, cars, clothes, furniture and gifts. Stanley’s presentation will provide background on her group’s philosophy of saving the earth one gift at a time and highlight activities of the International Freecycle organization.
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One thing I have learned about so far this year is recycling. It’s not something I think about much, other than following the rules as much as I can. I was visiting Ottawa recently, and there is a program there called FreeCycle. People put usable items they don’t need out on the curb on a given day and others are free to take what they want. The next day the city takes away what is left over. It becomes a social activity and people don’t mind saying they got something at FreeCycle. Since the items can include everything from books and magazines to household items, furniture and even building materials, there is something for everyone.
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Luckily, my husband had scored a couple of boxes of scraps and nasty fabrics from freecycle.ca in July so I dug into it. Coincidentally, it had pieces of cotton from the same era as the quilt. I was in luck.
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There are other methods to achieve this purpose. Many will be familiar with the online Freecycle site people can join to announce something they want to give away or to watch for items they need. It can even be amusing at times with requests for items – usually for minor, inexpensive things, but also big stuff: a car in good working order would not be a stretch.
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These electronics need to be reduced, reused and recycled. Reduced is self-explanatory — buy fewer. Reuse means we can give away or sell unwanted electronics to friends, family or use local advertising platforms such as the Sault’s Freecycle network.
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*Recycling Your Fitness Gear
If you plan to switch to green fitness equipment, be sure to recycle your current equipment. At The Freecycle Network’s website (http://www.freecycle.org), you can list your gear and trade for other items, or you can donate your gear to a community centre. Gyms often collect your used yoga mats and sports sneakers, bringing them to specialty recycling centers that may turn those items into playground equipment, gym mats or other goods to promote a healthier lifestyle for all.
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