Saturday, November 27, 2010

This Week I Will Use Freecycle

I’m still reading
Cradle to Cradle which is about rethinking how we manufacture, accumulate and toss away stuff. I’m on the problems and looking forward to the solutions, but so far it’s very interesting. And this reading has encouraged me to make learning about and using Freecycle my next endeavor.

Not only does Freecycle have a cool name, it sounds like a great idea. It’s basically a swapping-stuff-for-free network. You sign up online and trade stuff in person. Like Craig’s List, but without money. I’ve briefly checked out the website and put some things aside that I will give away. (I have display easels leftover from the Bat Mitzvah) My plan is to figure out how to sign up, list my items and see what happens next. I will also look for something I need, to avoid buying it new. Maybe books, maybe a small kiln.

There should be a Freecycle in your area. I’m going to try to trade as close as possible to where I live. It seems counterproductive to drive much to save a book from the landfill.


Why Bother?
Why not just buy new and throw the old stuff out?
because there is an environmental cost of manufacturing any new item,
because there is a monetary and social advantage to trading with neighbors,
because holding on to things longer encourages the manufacture of lasting products
and because whatever we reuse doesn’t go to landfills.


Here’s the Freecycle Link:



“Tikkun Olam” means, in its most basic form, repairing the world. It is an ancient term from long before we worried about carbon emissions or mercury in our fish. It promotes the idea that we are the stewards of our planet and we that must be constant and vigilant in our responsibility. And not only must we take care of the Earth and seas and creatures, but we have to fix what is broken. And this is our job for as long as we are on this planet.

3 comments:

  1. I don't want more stuff. Please just give our crap away.

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  2. You should consider using Exchango! It's another great way to give and get free stuff. Exchango builds upon the reuse movement by making sharing easier and more accessible. http://exchango.com

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  3. Thanks! I'll check out Exchango this week, too. I'm sure I have more stuff to list.

    ReplyDelete