Greenhouse effects: Freecycling

One of the principal environmental challenges we face is finding ways to reduce our demand for natural resources while at the same time cutting the amount of waste we produce. In England, we already have a shortage of landfill space, and this is set to worsen as EU environmental rules demand that we dispose of less waste via this ecologically damaging route (and not a moment too soon).

A lot of the rubbish that goes into holes in the ground or incinerators
needn’t be thrown away, if only new owners for everything from carpets to chairs, curtains, toys and doors can be found. One good way to divert household material away from landfill and to a new home is via the Freecycle Network. Freecycle is a web-based community of people who use the internet to swap perfectly good items that might otherwise be thrown away.

There is a global network of freecyclers, organised around local groups. In the UK there are 485 groups, with more than 1m members, and if there is no group near you, then you can start one. The Freecyclers describe themselves as “a nonprofit organisation and a movement of people interested in keeping good stuff out of landfills”. There are few rules — the main one being that all goods offered must be done so for free.

It’s a very simple idea, and it works. We recently disposed of an unwanted computer desk and printer via Freecycle. This saved us a trip to the local dump, prevented some perfectly serviceable stuff being thrown away and helped a local community group, which came and collected the items from us. It was a quick process, with a near-instant response. Not only can you dispose of unwanted items at Freecycle, but you can find things you need as well.

Membership is free and it’s very easy to sign up. Just go to freecycle.org and click on the “browse groups” button to find the one closest to you. Local Freecycle groups are organised through Yahoo. By clicking the button to join your local group, you are directed to Yahoo, where you supply some basic details to join the group. This takes about 10 minutes. Your Yahoo e-mail account connects you to the Freecycle group, allows you to view what is on offer and to upload details of items you no longer want.

Tony Juniper is an environmental campaigner and former director of Friends of the Earth; tonyjuniper.com