5.If you have items left over from the sale, maybe you can trade for clothing your children can use. If not, why not consider giving the clothing items on Freecycle. This would come in handy later, if you need to request clothing on Freecycle.
Ever found yourself throwing things away that could be of use to somebody else? Now one organization attempting to keep useful items out of the landfill is making inroads into China. And it’s not a moment too soon.
China’s capital Beijing is facing a mounting crisis. Each day the city produces a staggering 17,000 tons of rubbish a day, amounting to over 6 million tons per year — and its 13 landfill sites are filling up fast. Experts predict they could all be full within as little as four years.
FREECYCLING household goods is growing in popularity, according to Thurrock West Freecycle.
Membership of Freecycle has reached two million nationwide as the public demonstrate their commitment to re-using and recycling household goods rather than dumping them.
Freecycle is an internet network which links people who have household items they don’t want, to people who need them.
10. Recycle old stuff you’re paying to keep in storage. Check out http://www.freecycle.org/ . You can list stuff for free that you’re willing to give away and you can choose who you want to give it to.
You replaced your perfectly good CRT computer screen with a flat screen and want to pass on the old one to a good cause; you urgently need a refrigerator as the old one just died; you have a pile of old Aviation Weeklies that it would be a pity to throw out. If you’re a member of Freecycle, an international organization with branches in 80 countries and millions of members worldwide, all you do is post your item and wait for the replies to come rolling in.
The basic idea behind Freecycle is a valiant attempt to save the environment by not throwing stuff into the garbage, which will only end up in landfills. Its slogan is “changing the world one gift at a time.” It was started with one e-mail in May 2003 by Deron Beal, of Tucson, Arizona, who used to drive around offering items to nonprofits rather than throwing them away and decided there must be an easier way.
According to the Freecycle Web site, the members are currently keeping more than 700 tons of garbage a day out of landfills, or seven times the height of Mount Everest in one year if stacked in garbage trucks. The site, which also has strict rules and etiquette guidelines - no porn, no politics, no money or personal attacks, no proselytizing or religion - is full of useful tips about what to do with “orphaned” socks and wire hangers. Freecycle arrived here in 2005 and has groups in several cities, the largest in Tel Aviv.
f we reduce the volume of products we consume, we’ll also reduce the amount we discard. Another thing to give some thought to is whether something that you might have thrown out could be put to another use, like using an old dresser to store linens or dishes, using a slightly chipped but otherwise attractive mug to hold pencils on your desk, or reusing a shoebox to send a care package to a college student. Many items can be recycled for another person’s use rather than being tossed. Websites like Freecycle.com and Craigslist.com are great resources for getting your stuff into the hands of someone who can use it. Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore (www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx) accepts building and renovation materials, and many charities accept clothes and household items.
Chamber supports local recycling initiative to support children’s hospices
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce is the first Chamber of Commerce to team up
with Parker PR and SR Recycling to offer its members a new free recycling
initiative that will raise funds to support Children’s Hospice’s across the
country.
The initiative, led by Sheffield based PR agency Parker PR will provide
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce members with a collection point at the
Chamber’s Albion House offices for electrical waste material that will then
be recycled by Barnsley based SR Recycling.
For every tonne of material collected SR Recycling will make a substantial
percentage donation which Parker PR will then donate to a local children’s
hospice.
The initiative is the brainchild of Graham Parker of Parker PR who said:
“This is a real win-win-win initiative for Sheffield Chamber members and
businesses in South Yorkshire. Businesses win by having a recycling service
they would normally pay for, the environment wins because SR Recycling can
recycle up to 99% of all material collected and the children win because we
will be helping to provide much needed services at the hospices.
“Our intention is to run this initiative across the north of England with
other Chambers and we are delighted that Sheffield Chamber is launching it
with us.”
SR Recycling will be depositing two of their special collection units in the
car park at the Chamber’s offices on Savile Street from the 27th of July for
one week, during which time Chamber members will be able to deposit old PCs,
printers, kettles etc.
Paul Reeves from Sheffield Chamber welcomed the launch of the initiative in
saying:
“Sheffield Chamber is always looking for new initiatives that help our
members and this one certainly hits the mark. We are fully committed to
helping our members be environmentally conscientious and this new initiative
can only help in doing so. Waste disposal is expensive and landfill is fast
becoming not an option so being able to recycle material in this way is a
fantastic idea and we are delighted to play our part”
Normally SR Recycling would charge for collections of material. Managing
Director of SR Recycling, Simon Robinson said he was forfeiting his charges
to help raise funds for the hospices.
“It’s important to us a business to support our local community. When we
were approached to be part of the initiative we said yes straight away. If
we can encourage more people to recycle and help children in hospices at the
same time then we will do out utmost to help.”
SR Recycling is a specialist recycler that provides a free recycling service
to businesses and organisations looking to dispose of electronic, electrical
and other waste that contains metals. Office materials such as PCs,
telephone systems, microwaves and cookers can all be recycled following
collection. The company also recycles old style TVs and monitors but at a
chargeable rate.
Any Chamber member taking material to the Chamber offices should be aware
that CRT TVs & monitors, fridges & freezers, any batteries other than
lead-acid and fluorescent tubes or other specific bulbs should not be
deposited in the collection points. The specialist manner in which these
have to be recycled means that disposal would have to be charged for, which
would stop any donations being made to the hospices.
Anyone wanting precise information on what can be recycled or who would like
to set up their own recycling collection point with SR Recycling should
contact Graham Parker by email info@parkerpr.com
Looking for an gently used extra chair? Need some used but never abused extra potting plants for your garden? Perhaps you don’t want to run out and buy new as you are more environmentally friendly than most? What’s to do?
You should check out your local Freecycle group. Found online, at Freecycle, the local neighbors come together online and give away gently used items that they don’t need anymore. This is done by simply placing an ad on your local group that interested parties subscribes to . The ad is sent out reviewed and sent out via email to everyone who might find the item worthwhile or needed at their home.
WYRE Forest residents are being encouraged to take advantage of a freecycle network this summer to start giving away unwanted items.
Members of the online Freecycle network offer their unwanted items, which range from furniture, tumble dryers, clothes, games, doors and building off-cuts, to others free of charge.
When a fellow member is interested in an item, they send an email to arrange collection.
The website can be used to either donate, or find items, that can be used to reduce the amount of resources sent to landfill sites.
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