Post by Category : International

BM Magazine: Who says you need money to start a business?

Source any equipment you need for free through Freecycle, a community website on which people can recycle unwanted items, or the freebie section of listings sites such as Gumtree and Craigslist. Right now, for example, someone is offering a free office table in London and free catering equipment in Edgbaston

https://bmmagazine.co.uk/in-business/advice/who-says-you-need-money-to-start-a-business/

The Independent: World Environment Day: What action can I take to tackle the climate crisis?

The climate crisis is the biggest existential challenge modern humans have ever faced, and judging by our progress so far we’re not coping with the threat of annihilation very well.

Ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall, it bears repeating that those seven nations have, since the Covid-19 pandemic, pumped billions more dollars into greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels – worsening the crisis – than they have into clean energy.

Despite decade after decade of increasingly desperate warnings from scientists and activists, and more and more promises from politicians and corporations, the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted through human activity is still going up, the temperature is going up, and the risks are going up too.

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/world-environment-day-2021-facts-activities-b1859053.html

Bored Panda: 39 Things That Are Free On The Internet That You Should Take Advantage Of, As Shared By People In This Online Group

https://www.boredpanda.com/useful-things-free-online-reddit/?cexp_id=39971&cexp_var=1&_f=trending&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

The Guardian: Twenty firms produce 55% of world’s plastic waste, report reveals

The enormous plastic waste footprint of the top 20 global companies amounts to more than half of the 130m metric tonnes of single-use plastic thrown away in 2019, the analysis says.

Single-use plastics are made almost exclusively from fossil fuels, driving the climate crisis, and because they are some of the hardest items to recycle, they end up creating global waste mountains. Just 10%-15% of single-use plastic is recycled globally each year.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/18/twenty-firms-produce-55-of-worlds-plastic-waste-report-reveals

Nerd Wallet: 5 Ways to Get Free Clothes Online and Near You

3. Look for contests, sweepstakes and giveaways

Retailers often give out free clothing or gift cards through contests and promotions. Entering is usually as simple as submitting your email address, leaving a product review or tagging a friend in an Instagram comment. Follow your favorite brands on social media, check their websites and subscribe to their emails for announcements. However, there’s no guarantee you’ll win.

You’ll likely have better luck getting free clothes through giveaways in your community. The best way to track them down: Browse niche social networking groups, such as Freecycle and the Buy Nothing Project, or marketplaces like Craigslist. You can regularly find secondhand apparel that people want to give away.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/get-free-clothes

Makeuseof.com: The 7 Best Websites for Scoring Free Stuff Online

3. Freecycle

Freecycle is the official website for The Freecycle Network, a nonprofit organization with the mission of keeping potentially useful items out of landfills. The Freecycle Network is spread across more than 110 countries and has millions of members.

The site has helped keep thousands of tons out of landfills by offering free goods to people who can put them to good use. To use the website, you need to sign up to become a free member and join your local Freecycle groups.

Now, you can browse the free items others are offering. You can also see the items people are looking to receive, and respond to the individual posts to arrange a pickup. Everything listed on the site is legal, free, and appropriate for all ages.

https://www.makeuseof.com/websites-scoring-free-stuff-online/

Internet Scout: The Scout Report Volume 24 Number 25

THE FREECYCLE NETWORK
SOCIAL STUDIES
www.freecycle.org
The familiar slogan “reduce, reuse, recycle” reminds our consumption-driven society to be mindful of our waste, but recycling frequently receives the bulk of the attention. The Freecycle Network (TFN) offers an avenue for the reuse of working items whose current owners no longer need or want them. The way it works is fairly straightforward: after finding their local group and creating a free membership, users can post listings of items they want to give away (items must be “free, legal and appropriate for all ages”), respond to others’ offers of items, or even post a request for an item they’re looking for. TFN’s emphasis on reuse upholds its mission “to build a worldwide sharing movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.” Following its beginnings as a grassroots organization started by Deron Beal in 2003, TFN is registered as a nonprofit in Arizona and as a charity in the UK. As of this writing, TFN is made up of more than 5,300 local groups run by volunteer moderators in over 110 countries, for a total of more than 9.3 million members worldwide. [JDC

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BOOK: Give and Take by Adam Grant

Nice little excerpt from a bestselling book!

Freecycle mentioned in book: When Action Follows Heart: 365 Ways to Share Kindness by Susan Spencer

Resource Magazine: CAN YOU RECYCLE… PLASTIC-PADDED ENVELOPES

Excess envelopes get offered on Freecycle, where it’s not unusual to have half a dozen interested people; many of whom sell items on eBay and are delighted to get free packaging. Once they are past their best, I’m afraid it seems that there is little you can do with Jiffy bags, but at least you can feel good about extending the life of them through reuse.

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