Need a hard hat, birdbath or bag of marbles? Want to get rid of an easel, ball gown or bathtub? A smattering of Web sites like Freecycle and Freesharing have sprung up to connect two kinds of people: those desperate to offload their junk and those eager to acquire it.

It's a brilliant solution to the age-old cluttered-garage problem. For generations, pack rats have been plagued with guilt as they fretted, stalled and ultimately sent outdated armchairs and baseball cap collections to local landfills.

Now folks can log on to Web networks like Around Again and Sharing Is Giving, register for the group in their city or county, post a notice for, say, the used microwave they want to give away ... and wait. People or charities looking for just such an item can then email the giver and arrange to come and get it — for free.

Freecycle, the largest of these giveaway sites, has attracted over 5.5 million members in 85 countries. Founder Deron Beal created it five years ago."My wife and I wanted to give an extra bed away," says Beal, a resident of Tuscon, Ariz. "Goodwill doesn't take beds and none of our friends needed it so I sent out the first email in May of 2003 offering that bed and announcing the founding of The Freecycle Network."

With over 10,000 new members each week, the popular site solves three real problems: Clearing out clutter, helping people save money and diverting junk from landfills.

"It was founded as a green concept," says Beal, who estimates that Freecycle keeps 500 tons out of junkyards each year. "I think it succeeds, though, because it's fun." Indeed, wacky items on these sites range from run-down sailboats to housebroken Labradors to chunks of broken concrete.

"I started my local group primarily to get rid of an old mobile home that was in my backyard," says Eric Burke, who founded Freesharing, a network with more than 250,000 members. "The trailer was packed floor to ceiling with used tires. Over three months, the trailer and all its contents disappeared right down to the I-beams, which someone used to build a new garage at their house."

Frequent free-sharers say the system has its downsides. Most sites, for example, require you to register before you can post a giveaway or view anyone else's posts. And once you register, you'll receive frequent emails updating you on newly posted items.

But Freecycle's Beal says that's outweighed by the good feelings that come from seeing generosity at work. "If we bi-peds were not basically good and giving, Freecycle would not work. But it does — on a massive scale," he says. "That's a beautiful, life-affirming message that beats the heck out of the nightly news."

Check out these other free-sharing networks:
• Recycle4Free
• FreeMesa
• Freesouces Recycling Network
• Throwplace
• ReuseItNetwork

Or, to find a network near you, enter your zip code at Overcylce.

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Halloween should be fun, but every year it gets scarier--for parents and the planet. From the discovery of lead in fake teeth and candy, to chemicals in costumes, to the garbage left in the holiday's wake, it's a wonder more of us haven't given up the festivities and spent October 31 watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The good news is, there are loads of child- and earth-friendly alternatives to the usual Halloween fare. The most important point when planning to green up any holiday or celebration, especially those involving children, is to get their "buy-in." And of course, your approach makes all the difference. Telling kids, "We're going green this Halloween--that means, no candy," isn't helpful. What can be is a discussion about the challenges that Halloween brings. Obviously, what you say (or don't), depends on the age of your children. But helping them to see the wider ramifications of their actions can help make transitioning to healthier choices more appealing or at least understandable. Many kids are learning about eco-issues in school. They often want to do something about them, but need guidance on where to begin. Talking to them about the excess and waste associated with Halloween (and all holidays and celebrations) and discussing how they can make a difference, may spark their altruism and inspire them to act in positive ways. A great way to start a discussion is to list each aspect of Halloween (costumes, treats, decor and activities), and brainstorm child- and earth-friendly choices to what you've done in the past. Then, encourage your kids to choose one or two of the ideas to implement this year. After Halloween, talk about what worked, what didn't and what you'll do next year.

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It's not easy to find eco-friendly products that are also fashionable and affordable. Enter Simple Shoes. This spring, they introduced Flippees, the first flip-flops on the market with biodegradable soles. Flippees come in a variety of colors for both men and women at only $30 a pop. Earlier this summer I ordered their Eco-Certified Nubuck Flippees in pink and black. My sandals arrived in a biodegradable bag with a biodegradable hanger, and the foot form inserts were made of post consumer recycled paper.

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