Freecycle members around the world give and receive freely to help ensure that fewer items end up in our landfills
By Sr. Christine Gebel, O.L.M.
May/June 2014
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Always interested in ways to deepen my commitment to care for the Earth, I was excited to read about a group called Freecycle in the newspaper about a year and a half ago. Its purpose is to prevent usable stuff from reaching our landfills by connecting potential givers and receivers. After joining a local group and agreeing to a few basic rules, one can post items online for gifting or receiving. Money never changes hands. All is pure gift.
Sisters Noreen Kearns (left) and Christine Gebel have enjoyed the benefits of Freecycle, both in giving and in receiving. Credit: Marie Clarkson, OLM.
Through Freecycle I have met so many kind people, such as the mother who arrived with her three children to receive the hostas and daisies I was splitting in our garden. This family had just moved into their first rented home after years of apartment living. The yard of their new home was bare and she wanted her children to have an experience of gardening. They were so excited to get started.
I also remember the fellow who thanked me profusely for the gift of an unopened ink cartridge I had found in our office for a printer we no longer had. It was obviously a big help to his budget that he didn’t have to pay for a new cartridge.
A mother of several children was ever so grateful for the five mismatched chairs she received from us. She mentioned that she had almost no furniture in her apartment.
And we have received items too. Just before Christmas, Sister Noreen Kearns asked me if I could post a request for a keyboard (the musical kind) on Freecycle. She knew a refugee family whose son was very gifted musically and dreamed of playing on one. So I gave it a try and a few days later someone answered. Noreen and I made the trip to pick it up with much joy and laughter. Her friend’s son was going to get the Christmas gift for which he so longed.
Aside from knowing that many useable items are being diverted from the landfill, I am heartened to know that there are so many people committed to treading a bit more lightly on our Earth. My membership in Freecycle has truly been a gift.
Freecycle.org
Changing the world one gift at time.
The Freecycle Network is made up of 5,121 groups with 6,971,638 members around the world. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers. Membership is free and new members are welcome.
To sign up, visit the Freecycle website at www.freecycle.org and find your community by entering it into the search box or by clicking on Browse Groups above the search box.
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