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Freecycle Savings

By Avigayil Morris, 13 years ago

Thanks to Mooser Wayne for sending us this wonderful note, reminding us of another site our Moosers can use:

Hi;
I noticed on your posts lately you have talked about how Kijiji is good for recycling of items. However most of the time, Kijiji is about selling items, be they new or slightly used. You might want to direct people to www.freecycle.org which covers all of North America with lots of 'local locations' be it a large city or a small town or area. With freecyle, it is all about give and receive. No money is involved and it is more to find someone that can use an item or you can get rid of something you no longer need but do not want to put in the trash. It has its upsides and down sides. People should read about the rules and understand how it works, and sometimes the postings can be overwhelming!
I have provided a couple of links for you to follow to see what it is all about:
http://groups.freecycle.org/HamiltonONFreecycle/description
http://groups.freecycle.org/hrm_freecycle/description
http://groups.freecycle.org/WpgFreecycle/description
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SmithsFallsfreecycle/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/milton_freecycle/

Thanks Wayne! I too have used freecycle, and I agree it is a fabulous tool for recycling items. I have both given away and received items... and you feel good doing it.

My only problem with freecycle is the same issue I have with Kijiji: courtesy. I have been left standing in the pouring rain outside someone's house all the way across town at the appointed time to pick up something, and they weren't home. Then again, I have had people offer to drop stuff off instead of me having to come pick it up. It is people that make an organization and if you get the pleasure to interact with the good ones, it can be an absolute joy.

Comments

Dora P.
Be cautious here folks. Freecycle was supposed to be a Free Enterprise for everyone to start in their own areas, but the founder saw that he had given away something of value and stole it back by non-profitting it. He spent years and years and thousands of dollars to try to steal it back, only to loose in the USA courts. I know this doesn't affect the every day gifting of items, but what you need to know is that if you use the new Freecycle site, instead of the Yahoo groups site versions, you are subject to ZERO protection for your email. The ED, his wife and his best friend have total control of that site and the terms of usage. He is NOT obligated to tell you if he chooses to change the terms of the site, allowing him the ability to sell your email address! I am not saying to not use the system - just to be CAREFUL. Use a distinct email address so you will know if your email has been sold. That way you can simply close down that email and not lose your regular one.
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K
I used to be a member of FreeCycle. There were so many postings from people looking for free things they should have been paying for (e.g. mid-range computers and other electronics) that it made me mad every time I opened my e-mail. The membership was a mix of kind hearted people and people who wanted to exploit that kindness in order to get something for nothing.
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