Freecycle Your Way to a Green Life

There's a common misconception that going green has to be expensive. Sometimes it can be true, such was buying organic food or sustainable clothing.  On the other hand, many ways to go green are cheap, or even totally free. One way to do this is to find things that are used.  

Buying or acquiring used items helps the environment by reducing waste.  It keeps things from ending up in a landfill and because so many things are made of plastic these days, these items will likely just sit in a landfill forever. Another important way it helps reduce waste is that used items won't come in packaging, so you don't end up with plastic wrap, Styrofoam or boxes that you have to throw out.  

You'll also lower your carbon footprint by finding used items.  A used product doesn't need to go through the manufacturing process and if you pick it up locally there are less carbon emissions than if it were shipped. 

are great and Newton has several, but you can get many items for free through Newton's Freecycle.    

Newton's Freecycle is run through Yahoo! groups.  Members can post to the group if they are looking for a particular item or if they are trying to get rid of something. Freecycle promotes reuse and keeping things out of landfills.

Freecycle communities exist throughout the world, and Newton is lucky to have an extremely active one. There are over 3500 members with sometimes over a dozen offers a day.  

You can find really cool stuff through Freecycle; from pianos to baby gear to air conditioners--the possibilities are endless. Some of the items are in excellent condition, but others are better for someone who might be handy with tools or who can find a way to give an item a second life.

Freecycle is also perfect if you need to get rid of something if you're moving, decluttering, or if you have kids who are growing out of their toys.  

Before picking something up from someone on Freecycle, be sure to check Recalls.gov to see if the item has been recalled. It's also generally not recommended to buy or use previously-owned baby car seats or children's booster seats, as if they've been in an accident they might not be safe for use.  

If you're looking to give a new home to some free stuff, craigslist also has a free section.