Freecycle

Hands up those of you who have heard of Freecycle. This is a green movment, purportedly begun in Arizona a few years ago, designed to help people recycle their property by giving it away instead of chucking it into landfills. I think it's a brilliant idea, and since I've just signed up to the Singapore version, I'll let you know how it pans out.

In itself the idea is really simple. A fairly basic web page allows you to post a brief description of your unwanted junk (hey, one persons trash is anothers' treasure, right?) and anyone who is intrested can contact you directly by email to claim it. The stuff has to be absolutely free - no transport charges, commissions, or fees at all. How you pick up the stuff is up to you to arrange once you've made contact with the offerer.

I have signed up after reading an article in a recent edition of The Straits Times, as no doubt thousands of other people will do too. After all, who hasn't had a moment of angst wondering what to do with those piles of unwanted clothes which are in fabulous condition but just don't fit or suit your taste any more? Or those CDs which you listened to ten times a day when you were a student but which have lain collecting dust for the past 10 years in a cupboard? And what about the PILES of stuff that accumulates when you have kids - clothes, toys, books - and which they quickly out grow? We (should) all feel a pang of guilt about just chucking stuff away in this consumerist, materialistic society. So I'm hoping Freecycle will prove a worthy antidote to this.

Apparently there are Freecycle groups all around the world, so check out this link: http://www.freecycle.org/ and see what your local one has to offer, or consider what you can offer your fellow citizens. I truly believe an uncluttered living environment goes a long way towards achieving an uncluttered mind, although there may be the temptation to fill up those newly cleaned out cupboards with treasures you find on the list...

Don't forget it's good for getting rid of stuff you don't want, and for asking for things you do want, all absolutely free.

I'll let you know how my request for a pet carry cage for Charlie goes.