Using Freecycle to Save Money and the Environment

You will find everything from tea cozies to TVs on Freecycle.org. The concept is pleasantly simple: Get rid of stuff that you don’t need, and give it to someone who does. No strings attached, and no cash exchanged.

Although it can be an excellent resource for those in need, The Freecycle Network was not designed as a charity. Freecycle’s mission is:

“…to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.”
– Freecycle.org

The Freecycle Network is a non-profit organization that was founded by Deron Beal of Tucson, Arizona, in May of 2005. Since then, Freecycle membership has soared to over 5.7 million people worldwide, and it has prevented the waste of over 400 million pounds of materials.

Anyone can join Freecycle, but there are basic usage rules in place to prevent abuse of The Freecycle Network. While individual Freecycle groups may have specific rules, rules that all Freecycle members must follow include the following:

• Keep it free, legal, and appropriate for all ages
• Summarize your posting in the subject line
• No politics, spam, money, personal attacks/rudeness; no proselytizing/religion
• No trading
• Responses go only to offerer
• No offering yourself or your children (!)
• Be nice. Keep your word.
• Be safe. Make arrangements to meet members in a public place.

Freecycle is set up by city. From the Freecycle home page, you can search for Freecycle groups in cities near you. For example, if you live in Chicago, Illinois, you would join the Chicago Freecycle Group. You will need to provide some basic information when you register, in order to prove that you are a resident or business owner in the area, and not a re-seller.

Each Freecycle group has a volunteer moderator. Among other things, the moderator approves and/or edits listings as needed, and ensures that the rules of Freecycle are being followed.

One thing you’re guaranteed to get from Freecycle is lots of e-mail. So, set up a folder and have your Freecycle e-mails go directly to that folder, so that your inbox will not be inundated with Freecycle postings.

Once you’ve received a registration confirmation from a Freecyle moderator, you can begin using Freecycle. There are essentially four categories of e-mails that you will receive from Freecycle. Their subject lines will read: wanted, offered, received, or taken. For example, if you are in need of a microwave, you would post a listing indicating the following in your subject line: Wanted: Microwave (Chicago). The body of your e-mail can include further details.

Keep in mind that you will not always necessarily get the things that you are requesting. Also, if you are responding to someone’s offer, you should know that it is up to the owner’s discretion to determine who the recipient will be. This is not necessarily determined by “first come, first serve.” When you make a Freecycle agreement, you and the other individual will need to decide on when and where you’d like to meet.

Remember that the purpose of Freecycle is to not about getting free stuff. Its intended purpose is to keep useful items out of landfills. Freecycle is about “changing the world, one gift at a time.” - Freecycle.org

by Angela Antonelli

Articles at EnvironmentPoint.com cannot be copied or reproduced without express written consent.

Water Pollution

Environmental awareness has lead society to understand that population growth and industrialization dramatically impact our planet Earth. Pollution of our air and water are the result of our own technological advances, starting with the industrial revolution and the burning of vast quantities of fossil fuels. The products of industry themselves lead to greater pollution by finding resting places in our lakes, rivers, and oceans. There are many forms of pollution, however, this article will focus on water pollution. Future articles will cover other forms, such as air, noise, soil, and radioactive pollution.

Water pollution is a human-induced occurrence that negatively impacts groundwater and surface water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Although life on Earth would not exist without clean water, we disregard its importance and continue polluting. The Earth’s surface is covered by more than 70% water with over 95% of all freshwater trapped underground as groundwater. The geologic formations that contain useable groundwater, called aquifers, are relied upon by 53% of the Earth’s population for drinking water.

Approximately 14,000 people die every day because of waterborne diseases, primarily from untreated sewage in third-world countries, and at least 40% of the surface water bodies in the United States are too polluted to use for recreational activities such as swimming or fishing. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people do not have a safe drinking water source and almost two-thirds of the world could experience water shortages by 2025.

A water quality inventory taken in 1994 indicated the top 3 sources of water pollution fall in the categories of agriculture, municipal point sources, and urban runoff.

Top water pollution sources includes:

1. Agriculture
2. Municipal point sources
3. Urban runoff
4. Marine dumping
5. Radioactive waste
6. Oil spills
7. Leaking underground storage tanks
8. Eutrophication (algal blooms choking off surface water eco-systems)

Water pollution can have serious health impacts on both humans and aquatic life. A short list of potential health effects includes:

1. Microbial pollutants from wastewater – Ingestion of bacteria such as fecal coliform can lead to infectious diseases.

2. Heavy metals - Marine life can build up metals in their bodies and die or seriously affect those who eat them. Ingestion of heavy metals can lead to birth defects, cancer, or slow development.

3. Industrial waste toxins – Variable toxins have effects that range from mild to fatal. End results can be reproductive failure, poisoning, or immune suppression.

4. High nitrates – Ingestion of high nitrate concentrations in drinking water can lead to “blue-baby” syndrome, a blood disorder in babies under six months of age called methemoglobinemia that can lead to death.

While the deteriorating nature of our water sources may seem bleak, the United States has made great advances in the past three decades to curtail water pollution. The greatest advancement came in 1972 with the passing of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments, which became known as the Clean Water Act in 1977. The basic framework for regulating contaminant discharges, and working towards clean water, was laid down. While rules and regulations help with the enforcement of industrial pollution, there are things each of us can do personally to help curtail water quality impacts.

What can you do to help protect water quality in your area?

1. Conserve water – Less water used means less water to treat.

2. Watch what you pour down the drain - Don’t dispose of oil, paint, or other weird substance down the sink or toilet.

3. Environmentally-friendly products – Find alternatives for common products such as detergents, cleaners, and toiletries.

4. Pesticides and fertilizers – Do not overuse, make sure you follow the label, and properly store all pesticides and fertilizers. Garden organically whenever possible!

5. Litter – Don’t throw litter into any water body! Always clean up litter when you have the chance to do so safely.

6. Be heard! – Let your legislators know your opinions regarding water pollution laws and protection, especially with the rapid, present-day increase of urbanization. Also, make sure to report polluters to the appropriate agencies.