The Business Shrink  

Whether it’s for the official spring cleaning or it’s the seasonal cleanup in your house you most likely have a stack of things you don’t need, use anymore or want to get rid of. Often times people decide to try and sell it all on eBay and make some extra cash. Selling a collection of used items can often become a lot of extra work and the motivation fades quickly behind the idea. A more unfortunate choice is most of the extra unneeded stuff will go into landfills around the world and sit for decades or more just taking up space.

Fortunately in May of 2003 a man by the name of Deron Beal decided to create a small group of people in Tucson, Arizona to help recycle perfectly good items being thrown away. The adventure turned into lots of driving and searching for people that needed the items being thrown away. Eventually it became apparent that the Internet could simplify the process and Mr. Beal setup an email group to notify anyone in Tucson, Arizona that wanted to take part what was being given away or announce what they wanted to give away.

Since that first month the Freecycle network and website has grown to over five and a half million users in 75 countries, with thousands of local groups using the slogan, “changing the world one gift at a time.” The Freecycle.org website states that the amount of garbage kept out of landfills due to the efforts reaches around 300 tons a day. This is as much as four times the height of Mt. Everest if the stuff given away were stacked in garbage trucks. Turning trash into treasure has turned into a “pay it forward” type of generosity that is changing lives all over the world.

What exactly can be found on the Freecycle network? So far there doesn’t seem to be a limit to what can end up being given away in small or large quantity. It could be as simple as a half used bottle of cologne, a working used appliance, clothing, cars and even houses that aren’t in bad enough condition to be demolished but need to be moved. In a quote from the Freecycle.org website a giveaway effort turned into a major charity / recycling drive with corporate participation, “A truckload of diapers, clothes and supplies was collected through Freecycle for an orphanage in Haiti. FedEx donated the shipping! - San Jose, CA.”

There are also the Freecycle moments that grab at the heartstrings and make all the giving away and effort worth it when you read some of the heartwarming quotes about Freecycle. “I gave a loveseat to a lady who had nothing. Her husband had walked out on her and her children and they were starting over from scratch. She was so thankful she cried - over a loveseat I would have probably thrown away. - Louisville, KY.” Another one comment revealed a Christmas moment saved for a daughter, “My Daughters’ stolen bicycles were replaced in time for Christmas! - mom of five, Austin, Texas.” There are also the far reaching events that Freecycle gets started that end up helping thousands of people like this quote mentions, “At a local Freecycle “Hurricane Help Project” event, hundreds of local community members helped victims of the latest hurricane with free furniture and building supplies. - Melbourne, FL.”

In addition to Freecycle helping people that need it, saving landfills of tons of garbage and helping the environment it also helps provide an alternative method to consumerism. When the need for something arises it doesn’t always have to be brand new and in sparkling condition. If you can obtain the item for free without going to Wal-Mart or Target and forking over the cash it makes sense to do so. If that doesn’t get you interested, give it a try just once and get the uplifted feeling you will find when you give away something to someone who really needs it.

To find out more about the Freecycle network, email list and opportunity you can visit www.freecycle.org and sign up there. From the site you can type in your location anywhere in the world and locate you local Freecycle group to get started. After signing up all you have to do is either start giving or getting and tell others about the process.