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 For generations, pack rats have been plagued with guilt as they fretted, stalled and ultimately sent outdated armchairs and baseball cap collections to local landfills.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.
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.
Costumes-In the "olden days," (the eighties?), many kids made their costumes, often with help from parents. Making the costume was actually an enjoyable, bonding activity. Today, millions of people spend millions of dollars on costumes that are made from non-sustainable materials (like petroleum), that are worn once, then discarded. But there are earth-friendlier alternatives. If you usually buy costumes, consider: Making them. Kids are incredibly gifted and creative when we encourage them. There are almost no costumes that cannot be handmade. If your children are stuck on turning a popular TV or movie character into a costume, brainstorm how you can make it happen with items you already own or can get at no cost by borrowing or making. Be sure to check online for ideas.
Purchasing costumes made from more eco-friendly materials or at least not from plastics. Choose cotton, organic cotton, silk or hemp, for instance. Unfortunately, these alternatives are not yet widely available, but if you're interested in them, visit the Green Halloween® marketplace or ask local stores to consider carrying them next year. And check at the end of this post for some other great online sources.
Trading them.
Arrange a costume swap for National Costume Swap Day (second Saturday in October) with neighbors, check online at swap sites like Green Halloween, or see if you can interest a local child-focused organization in sponsoring a swap. When Halloween is over, don't throw costumes away. Save them, dismantle and hold on to the "parts,"trade or take them to a thrift store such as Goodwill.
Treats and treasures
Halloween may be all about the treats, but happily, there are great alternatives that kids, when given theoption, will happily embrace. You can't do much about the sweets your children receive on their forayaround the neighborhood (although you can have the "Halloween Fairy" replace the confections with awonderful gift when the children are brushing their teeth...shhhh...), but when it comes to what yourfamily hands out, planning ahead so that you are not making a last-minute dash to the grocery store, willhelp you avoid limiting choices to what's on the shelves at the moment.If you have a local natural foods store, check out their offerings. Take your kids along and choose a fewitems to sample if you don't normally shop there. Honey sticks are a favorite and are very inexpensive(never give honey to children under age 2). Many natural food companies, like Larabr, make small "bars"in flavors kids love like peanut butter and chocolate. Assuming you have the time to order online, checkout www.GreenHalloween.org for dozens of alternatives.One issue that often comes up when discussing organic or green choices is cost. While it is true that manyhealthier items cost more, there is a simple solution. Instead of handing out fistfuls (or allowing kids totake as much as they want, which has become the norm), try this: Fill a bowl with a variety of greatchoices, whether sweets or "treasures" like sparkly stones, feathers (yes, kids love these), hairdecorations, temporary tattoos, stickers etc. Cover the bowl with a cloth. When children come to the door,get down to their level and whisper, "At our house, we have some very, very special treats and treasures.You may now choose your favorite." Then with a flourish, whip off the cloth and let them sift.Compliment them on their choice afterwards.If you're not yet ready to totally embrace greener treats and treasures you can still help cut down onexpense and waste by choosing one of these options:Put out two bowls, one with conventional candy, the other with "treasures." Let kids choose oneitem from either bowl.Hand children whatever you are giving them. Do not allow them to take as much as they want.Let older children know that unwrapped candy can be composted.Whatever you do this Halloween, taking time to plan and implement will make the holiday a lot lessspooky!
Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter founders of Green Halloween® and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net
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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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.
