Freecycle has spread far and wide from its humble beginning in Tucson, Arizona, the United States, and has settled in Malaysia, the more active centers being in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Penang.
You may join them at various Yahoo group as follows:
Freecycle Petaling Jaya Yahoo group
Freecycle Kuala Lumpur Yahoo group
Related:
Freecycle Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Its local newspaper has found the movement worthy of mention and has published an article Ask, and you might receive in its Lifestyle section, the article below below republished below with permission.
Tuesday April 5, 2011
Ask, and you might receive
By MENG YEW CHOONG
star2green@thestar.com.my
There is such a thing as a free lunch in the case of The Freecycle Network.
IT has been described in various ways: a free version of eBay, a grand curbside where people can drop off their things, a lifesaver. It all began in May 2003, when Deron Beal sent out the first e-mail announcing The Freecycle Network (TFN) to about 30 friends and a handful of non-profits in Tucson, Arizona, the United States.
Beal was then working with non-profit organisation RISE, which provides recycling services to businesses and transitional employment to the needy. Beal was amazed at what companies chucked out the back door every day – beds, office tables, and items which, although not readily recyclable, still have a lot of life left in them. Getting rid of the items proved to be a great obstacle. For example, he discovered that local thrift shops did not accept beds due to health concerns.
Ways with waste: A recycling centre filled with unwanted stuff. Through Freecycle, people now have another way to get rid of their waste – give them away, for free, to people who really need them.
Beal frantically called those whom he knew to distribute the stuff away as otherwise, the things would wind up in a landfill. In the end, it was the Internet that came to the rescue, with Beal setting up that initial Freecycle e-mail group for Tucsonans. With that, Freecycle was off and running, offering anyone with access to the Internet a way of giving away as well as requesting for things.
Since then, the Freecycle concept has spread to nearly 120 countries, with membership now close to 8.2 million worldwide, spread across nearly 5,000 groups. In 2007 Freecycle was ranked by Yahoo as the third most searched environmental term following only “global warming” and “recycling”. By giving freely with no strings attached, members of TFN instil a sense of generosity, strengthen local community ties and promote environmental sustainability through reuse.
Ways with waste: A recycling centre filled with unwanted stuff. Through Freecycle, people now have another way to get rid of their waste – give them away, for free, to people who really need them.
Beal, 43, calls this phenomenon as “changing the world one gift at a time”. He said Freecycle could not have worked if people weren’t basically good and giving. TFN is a registered charity in the United States and Britain. It is a not-for-profit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for reuse in their own town or districts. To date, over 10,000 have volunteered their services as moderators to sort out offers and requests, as well as filter out inappropriate postings.
Resembling “a sort of grand cyber-curbside”, Freecycle is globally local – each city, town or district has volunteer moderators and a distinct e-mail group. It works by matching the giver with the requester through e-mail. A giver can decide whether to meet face-to-face, drop off the thing at a designated point, or just mail it over. Regardless of the item in question, no money changes hands and it is usually the recipient who pays for postage or bears the cost of transporting the item. At other times, the items are just left outside the house, and the giver posts a message informing the community of its availability.
TFN made its way to Malaysia in December 2004 and quickly split into a few chapters in different towns and cities. The most active chapters are Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, while others have gone defunct due to long periods of inactivity.
Tengku Nora Tengku Nazaruddin, 33, is one of the moderators of the Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya chapters. She volunteered her services a few months ago after having experienced the power of Freecyle in England, where she had lived for a few years. “I was googling on how to give away some of my things after giving birth to my son. I had some maternity clothes that I felt would be much better given directly to those who need them, rather than just dropped off at any random charity,” said the home-maker, mother to a one-year-old boy.
One of the moderators for the Freecycle KL and PJ chapters, Tengku Nora Tengku Nazaruddin (pictured with her son, Adam) is now helping her parents de-clutter their home through Freecycle.
Freecycle promotes reuse, which is one step better than dropping stuff into recycling bins. Practised well, Freecycle affords the opportunity for the giver to be in touch with the receiver (though not necessarily face-to-face), so that meaningful human connections can be made. “It also gives confidence to the giver that he or she is meeting a real need, rather than risk having the item sit for months gathering dust in some thrift store,” said TFN.
One of the moderators for the Freecycle KL and PJ chapters, Tengku Nora Tengku Nazaruddin (pictured with her son, Adam) is now helping her parents de-clutter their home through Freecycle.
Naturally, Tengku Nora’s contact with Freecycling also extended to the “receiving end”. “I’ve received things like child walkers, baby chairs, bibs and three bags full of high quality toys through Freecycle. Even baby bowls and spoons were given to me. But of course, this was England, where people are more ready to give away things and Freecycle is really big over there. Since then, I have been hooked on giving. I’ve told my parents about the benefits of Freecycle so that they can de-clutter their house which is filled with so many things which they have not used for so long.”
Hwa Shi-Hsia, 27, a Malaysian working in Singapore, started Freecycling when she was studying in Madison, Wisconsin. “My experience in the US was fairly positive. I obtained some needed household items and in turn, fulfil other people’s needs. I had a pair of heavy winter boots that were too big for me but of such good quality that I was reluctant to throw them away. So it was heart-warming to hear that they could help another international student who had come to the US with insufficient winter clothing. A giant toy tiger that was a joke gift from a friend also went to the office of a child psychologist, who said her patients enjoy hugging it.
“I also joined Freecycle Singapore shortly after moving here but have not really been in need of any free items due to a higher income and sharing a home with my siblings and husband. I still find it beneficial to have a channel for redistributing items in good condition to others. However, Freecycling here has been somewhat annoying due to a number of inconsiderate people who told me they wanted something, but never showed up even after numerous e-mails, SMS, and willingness to reschedule on my part. If I have a large number of items to give away in the future, I will probably just put them in a box on the ground floor of my flat block and post an announcement, rather than arranging meetings with individuals. Nevertheless, I think most members have good intentions, and I see Freecycle as a positive sign for conservation against the backdrop of relentless consumerism in Singapore.”
Less is best
Monica Cheang, 41, a marketing communication manager in Singapore, has this to say after a bout of year-end “spring cleaning”: “Freecycle is a fantastic way to recycle as others can make use of those items which are no longer relevant to me. I love the idea of giving these things away free, as it helps teach me in a small way about the spirit of giving and also reminds me not to buy stuff unnecessarily in future. I have given away cupboards, clothes, shoes, costume jewellery, and a whole shelf of literature books. A lady who was operating a cafe collected the books and put them in her cafe for her patrons to read. I thought that was a pretty cool way to let others enjoy the books I used to love, so I did not feel too sad with the parting.
“I am reminded that we really need much less to live a meaningful and happy life. When I give away my things on Freecycle, I always think ‘Why on earth did I spend so much to buy this thing that I hardly used? Why did I have to buy three colours of the same thing? Why did I contribute so much waste? When I give away things, not only am I glad that someone can make good use of my crazy excesses, it makes me feel lighter, more carefree, and I am again reminded that less is best, and to make do with what I have whenever possible.”
Katie McDonald is thrilled with her 60-year-old Baldwin piano which she got through Freecycle. ‘That was the only way I was going to get a piano here, as they are rather pricey, with one capable of setting you back by a few thousand ringgit,’ she says.
Those who are on the “receiving” end have touching stories to tell. Katie McDonald, 26, a Briton working in Kuala Lumpur as an educational facilitator, asked for a piano and got one three days later. “A lady responded, asking whether I wanted a 60-year-old piano,” said the elated McDonald. She hired a piano restorer to refurbish the still-solid Baldwin upright piano.
Katie McDonald is thrilled with her 60-year-old Baldwin piano which she got through Freecycle. ‘That was the only way I was going to get a piano here, as they are rather pricey, with one capable of setting you back by a few thousand ringgit,’ she says.
Zatika Izati Puade, 34, an accountant in Kuala Lumpur, said: “I’m so grateful that some members are willing to donate their used magazines and books for this movement that I started last March called Gerakan Baca Sambil Menunggu (GBSM, or Read While You Wait). GBSM collects and distributes old magazines to local public hospitals and clinics so that patients can read while waiting for their turn to see the doctor.”
If anything, those who use Freecycle on a regular basis cannot help but marvel at the random acts of kindness and generosity that abound there. Cheryl Teh recounted an instance where charity extended well beyond what was offered. “Someone offered a high-pressure waterjet cleaner, and so I requested for it on behalf of a shelter I was volunteering with. However, after the giver had enquired more about the shelter, he proceeded to write a cheque along with his initial offering. We were all very taken aback but at the same time very grateful for his kindness.”
All these only go to show that while the proverbial free lunch is something we should be wary of, Freecycle is really something that deserves a second look.
For more information, go to free cycle.org.
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