Worldwide Freecyclers Get (and Give) Free Stuff
Currently over one million members in almost 3,000 communities
world wide are sharing their unwanted goods. The catalyst that
facilitates all the getting and giving of unwanted items is an
organization called Freecycle. It's a grassroots movement of
people who give stuff for free in their own towns. Each local
group is run by a local volunteer moderator. All of the trading
is done online. Membership is free. Freecycle is open to
individuals and non-profit organizations.
The Freecycle Network was originally started in Tucson to promote
waste reduction and help save desert landscape from being taken
over by landfills. That was in May 2003. This world wide
phenomenon has spread throughout the globe.
The process is quite simple. Go to www.freecycle.org and find a
group near you. If there’s not one in close proximity, consider
starting one yourself. Then when you want to find a new home for
something you just send an e-mail offering it to members of your
Freecycle group. Some groups have restrictions on what you can
and cannot post, however most limitations are simply that it
needs to be completely free, legal and appropriate for all ages.
It doesn’t matter what you have to offer; computer parts, couch,
clothing, an old window, broken car, perfume, etc. If you have it
and it’s unwanted, almost guaranteed, someone else can put it to
good use.
If something is posted that you’re interested in obtaining, all
you need to do is respond to the member's offer. It's up to the
giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time
for passing on the treasure. Sometimes it’s as simple as “I’ll
leave it on the front porch of 123Main St., come by anytime.”
Many local networks also allow WANTED: posts. If you’re looking
for a 10 gallon aquarium, check with Freecycle first. Odds are
great someone may have one sitting in their basement collecting
dust. While each individual network may have slightly different
restrictions, most are run similarly. There are generally four
types of posts and these words must appear in the subject line of
your email: Wanted: xxx, Offer: xxx, Taken: xxx or Found: xxx.
It is generally recommended to elaborate a bit on your emails as
to why you are in need of something or why you are interested in
picking up the item. Please save your entire life story for
another forum, but responses like “I’m interested” will likely
get deleted. Whereas something like: “I’m a single mom who just
moved here after my divorce. I would love to pick up your wash
machine tonight. I would greatly appreciate not having to
squeeze in time to go to the laundry mat after work.” will likely
get consideration. Just be sincere – don’t make up a woeful
story in hopes to get something. The intent of Freecycle is to
help others by giving and getting. It’s a great, fun
organization.
Author
George Whitecraft
http://whitecraftshoppingmarketing.biz/tbp/The_Business_Professional.html
http://whitecraftshoppingmarketing.biz/pba/index.htm
posted by George @ 6:16 PM
0 comments
