One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Cliché, but for the grassroots movement Freecycle, trash is a relative word.
“Freecycle” sounds like “recycle,” the movement’s focus. According to the international site, www.freecycle.org, the main objective of Freecycle is “about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.”

But using Freecycle comes with expectations – you must give to receive.
What the movement tries to stress is that the concept of giving is not the same as free stuff. Essentially, what’s available through Freecycle are objects that are still usable, but the owner has no need for anymore.

Monetary donations aren’t required to use Freecycle, but because it’s a nonprofit organization, it is suggested.

Of course, giving something away is rewarding in itself and does not require documenting it through an official Web site. What sets Freecycle apart, however, is that it is aimed not merely at education and emphasizing recycling, but also personal connections through giving and receiving another man’s clutter.

Locally, the DeKalb Freecycle group has 938 members. Though the DeKalb group was established Jan. 16, 2006, there are currently no offerings of gifts to give nor any posted items that people want.

With almost 4 million people joining Freecycle’s effort to reduce the amount of usable goods disposed of into landfills, throwing away that old VCR because you just purchased a DVD player is morally apathetic.

With the downward spiral of the environment, finding a use for even one usable product to keep it out of a landfill is only right. Become the 939th member of DeKalb’s site, and help the movement progress into full action.

Just remember, when approaching your first transaction, you should be mindful of the generosity of the other person, be polite, and, most importantly, conscious of your personal safety.

To start, what am I gifting? Knowledge.

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