Do You Freecycle?

[Laika]

If you haven't heard of Freecycle, it's a community messageboard (usually on Yahoo groups) where people can post items they want to give away. The purpose of the group is to keep things out of land fills and put them in the hands of people who can put the items to good use.

It works like this. I had an old broken DVD player that I didn't want to throw into the garbage, but I didn't want to waste money repairing because I had recently purchased a newer, better model. So I go to my local Freecycle message board and post a "Giving Away Broken DVD player" message along with my email address.

Lo and behold, a few hours later I get a number of emails from local handypersons who have a knack with broken electronics. I reply to the first person to respond and arrange a pick up time. At the arranged time they drop by my apartment and pick up the neglected item. I'm happy because I got some shelf space back and my fellow freecycler is happy to get a free piece of equipment to tinker with (and maybe sell?).

Interested? Yahoo groups is the best place to find your local Freecycle group, although they may be posting elsewhere so don't give up if you don't find it there. Here are a few groups from across Canada:

Toronto: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleTO/

Winnipeg: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WpgFreecycle/

Calgary: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freecyclecalgary/

Edmonton: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Freecycle-Edmonton/

Vancouver/Burnaby: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleBurnaby/

There are other groups that are not affiliated with the Freecycle (tm), but they operate under the same basic idea.

Happy Freecycling! Thank you for keeping our country beautiful!! <3

 

[Jay]

Good idea!

 

[Toro]

I thought this was about cycling for exercise.

 

[Jay]

That's because your a crazy soccer fan!

 

[Sassylassie]

Laika, I joined the local chaper here in NS but the message board is full of people telling you what they want, rarely does anyone post items to give away. I received dozens of emails from people "Telling" me exactly what they wanted. It's a good program but it doesn't seem to work well in rurual areas.

I am a dumpster diver, or curb picker upper. I often take someones else discards restore them and donate the item to the local furniture bank. I've turned dressers into coffie tables, drawers into night stands, old chairs into stools etc. I've restored three bed frames-head board/foot boards-this month.

 

[Jay]

Good work Sassy!

 

[Laika]

In my local Freecycle group, you have to post 2 things to give away for every 1 thing you ask for. It seems to work well and most members are good about keeping the "wanted" postings to a minimum.

I love your approach to giving old items a new life, Sassy! That reminds me of a TV show I saw advertised a few days ago where these guys pick up discards from alleys and dumpsters and refurbish them then return the item to the original owners. In the ad, they took an old stove and turned it into a kick ass barbeque! I thought that was a cool idea for a reality show.

 

[Sassylassie]

Laika that would make a great show. My husband and I will be out driving in the Country and if I see garbage I make him stop so I can check it out for something that can be recycled. At first he damn near died of embaressment, now he's doing it. Over the years I've turned 20 old barbeques into gardening carts, people love them because there light weight, portable and wheel around the yard easily. Old light fixtures make great bird feeders or nesters, lord don't get me talking about recycling-you'll never shut me up.

 

[Jay]

Re: RE: Do You Freecycle?

That reminds me of a TV show I saw advertised a few days ago where these guys pick up discards from alleys and dumpsters and refurbish them then return the item to the original owners. In the ad, they took an old stove and turned it into a kick ass barbeque! I thought that was a cool idea for a reality show.

I saw the ads for that too. Cool idea but...

If I throw away my dead BBQ....I don't want it back!

 

[Sassylassie]

Jay your post reminds me of the time I was mowing the lawn and I ran out of gas so I left the lawn mower at the end of the drive way in front of the garbage cans and when I came out of the shed there was this man loading my lawn mower into the back of his truck. I started running and yelling but he paid no attention to me and he hopped into his truck and off he went. I chased him down the road screaming foul words at him but he just kept driving. I still miss that lawn mower, it was self propelled and turned on a dime with nice bag attachement-the nerve of some people.

 

[Laika]

LOL, that sucks Sassy.

 

[Jay]

Jay your post reminds me of the time I was mowing the lawn and I ran out of gas so I left the lawn mower at the end of the drive way in front of the garbage cans and when I came out of the shed there was this man loading my lawn mower into the back of his truck. I started running and yelling but he paid no attention to me and he hopped into his truck and off he went. I chased him down the road screaming foul words at him but he just kept driving. I still miss that lawn mower, it was self propelled and turned on a dime with nice bag attachement-the nerve of some people.

:lol:


That's the funniest story I've heard in awhile...Thanks for the laugh!

 

[dekhqonbacha]

Toronto: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleTO/

Winnipeg: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WpgFreecycle/

Calgary: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freecyclecalgary/

Edmonton: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Freecycle-Edmonton/

Vancouver/Burnaby: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleBurnaby/

There are other groups that are not affiliated with the Freecycle (tm), but they operate under the same basic idea.

Happy Freecycling! Thank you for keeping our country beautiful!! <3

not in montreal?
I'm lazy I could look it up on the net.

 

[hermanntrude]

I had a friend tell me about freecycling recently. since i'm emigrating to canada soon i've got a lot to get rid of. ive been freecycling, giving to charity and giving to my friends. It's amazing how much of my stuff i don't actually need.

Laika can I talk to you? I'm moving to a Cree area and i'd like to know a Cree person. i'm on msn if that's any good to you, but I can't PM cos i havent posted 100 times

 

[Judland]

We've used the local Freecycle boards.... gave away my old Mazda 626 to someone via Freecycle.

Unfortunately, though, the attitudes of some of the Freecycle folks is taking a turn that I don't particularily like.

The suggestion is not to give your stuff away to the first to ask for it, but to rather demand and grade sob stories and decide who "deserves" the items the most.

I just want to get rid of stuff. I don't care what the person does with it once I've given it away... I just know I don't have the room for it anymore, so I'm happy with the first come, first served rule.