Freecycle: adventures and misadventures

It seems like a great idea.

"Freecycle" is an email list that allows you to give and receive items for free, that might otherwise end up in landfills.It is about giving away something that has no use in our life anymore to someone who could extend its usefulness a little longer. It is about giving gifts to people while clearing out our own clutter. It is about creating, building, and sustaining an environmentally aware community.

I first learned about Freecycle years ago when I read about "The Compact" movement, where people pledge to not buy anything new for a full year. Everyone has their own version of "The Compact," of course. There are obvious and not-so-obvious exceptions to the guidelines. Usually, exceptions include food, medication, underwear, and consumable items like soap. Others may agree that it's OK to purchase fresh flowers, items made by local artisans, or items sold by charity organizations. On the other end of the spectrum you'll find people who want to find substitutes for toilet paper, make their own socks and underwear out of recycled clothing, and so on. 


Overall, however, the idea is to stay away from buying unnecessary things at retailers and big-box stores. Instead, they suggest obtaining recycled or previously owned goods. 


It sounds simple, doesn't it? Then again, this is America. Somehow in the past few years, it's come to be seen as our patriotic duty to shop for the sake of the economy. We are expected to go out and spend our hard-earned money on fashions, furnishings and electronic devices. This is not how I wanted to live my life. 


In reading about The Compact, and trying to decide if I felt compelled to do something like that, I stumbled on a local Freecycle group. It has been an interesting ride, but I have stuck with it over the past four years and I would like to think I'm making some kind of impact on the environment, which was my original purpose, after all. 

I'm always surprised by the number of things that are offered (and wanted) on Freecycle. I have seen vehicles offered; I've seen hot tubs and other big-ticket items that you definitely would not expect to find for "free." It's proof of the old adage that "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Freecycle guidelines stipulate that you shouldn't use the list to get rid of junk that would be better off in the landfill, so it seems evident that people would offer primarily good, serviceable and mostly working items. (Unless they are offering an item specifically to be used for parts).

And for the most part, I've seen this happen over and over again on Freecycle. I've participated in three different lists, and moderate one of them. Most times, people offer good stuff that they simply no longer want or need.

I am sometimes amazed, however, at the stipulations that people put on things that they want. Whether they are posting an original "wanted" message or if they are responding to an offer, it can be surprising how much people want for free. Does the car you're offering have automatic windows? What color of blue is the blue dresser I saw listed last week? I want a hot tub, but it has to fit at least four people. Does anyone have a huge box of baby clothes for my four-month old daughter, they must be pink and they must come from a non-smoking home.

One girl would try to claim anything baby related that you offered. She would also post several "wanteds" in the same day or week, for baby this or that: Videos. Bottles. Pacifiers. Pregnancy tests. (Has she ever heard of the library? A dollar store? Birth control?) Long hardship stories (which are discouraged on The Freecycle Network) accompanied most of these posts. I later learned that things I--and others--had given her were being offered for sale on Craigslist.

It doesn't take long for the list members to figure out these people. They normally get dropped to the bottom of everyone's "give-to list."

More often, however, there are the grateful people. The ones you meet later on and tell you how the freecycled item is being re-used. Someone puts a thank you note in place of the cell phone you left on your front porch for her. There was even a lady who left me a peacock feather as a gesture of appreciation.

All in all, it's a good thing. I have gotten rid of many things that were cluttering up my house, and I have given new life to stuff that would have otherwise gone to the landfill. I've even accepted a few very serviceable items that might have otherwise been trashed. And all for free!

If you are interested in learning about Freecycle, you can visit www.freecycle.org and ask it to direct you to a group near you. It may not be your cup of tea, but then again, it may be a first step to simplifying your life.

Marsha
who hung sheets and towels on the line today!

Somewhat by way of introduction

I have written and re-written this introduction several times in my head but it still is having a hard time making it to my fingers.

I have wanted to write a blog for years but I wasn't sure what to write about. This morning, it woke me up rather early and urged me to "just do it." So here goes.

Like Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," I have finally realized that my heart's desire wasn't going to be found in the unnatural glitz of the Emerald City. Sure, it's a nice place to visit, but I don't want to spend my days and nights there. So, I've come to the rather mundane-sounding conclusion that "there's no place like home." I live in a good place--a good place to shop, a good place to work and a fairly adequate place to get nourished and entertained. It may not be all-inclusive, but it's a good start. 

I live in Manchester, Michigan. Sometimes called the "Center of the Universe." Well, it is true for me. I have lived in the same house for almost 32 years. My four children were all raised here, and one of them was born here. Two of them still live here. My two grandchildren are growing up in Manchester, too. I work and shop and volunteer in this community and at the end of my day I retreat to this place I call home. I also walk a lot around the town (no, that's not my profession) because I don't own a car. I don't feel deprived because if I need a vehicle, I can usually arrange with someone for a ride to wherever I need to go. 

I am pretty committed to a simpler life for my family. When I was a little girl, I used to read the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Back in the 60s, when life was a lot simpler, I already yearned for the good old days described in those books. OK, since then I have thought a lot more about the hardships the pioneers faced and I'm somewhat grateful for the more modern conveniences we now have. But I think the pendulum has swung too far the other way.

Before this so-called recession, my husband and I both used to have good-paying, professional type jobs. Together, we made what seems to me now like an incredible amount of money, even though it was fairly modest by most standards. And we complained constantly that we didn't have enough. In 2002, he lost his job and was out of work for almost eight months. It was a tough time for us, especially when he ended up having cancer surgery shortly after he finally started a new job that already paid about half of the one he had lost. 

We eventually recovered, thanks to my income and a VA disability pension; however, in 2006 I realized that my career was going pretty much nowhere. In a salaried position, I worked 60+ hours a week at what ended up being more like minimum wage. Working for ever-larger corporations, I had no control over my destiny, but at the same time I never felt like I was free from the demands of my job. I was cranky when I got home. After 30 years, our marriage was also going pretty much nowhere. When did we have time to nurture it? 

After much soul-searching I left the security of a job where I had earned the respect of the community, if not of the corporation for which I worked. I was lucky to find a part-time job that seems just about perfect for me. But by now we are making way less than half of what we would be making had we been able to stay in our respective jobs.

So yes, our "Simple Life" is somewhat by necessity, but mostly it's a conscious choice we've made. We have fewer possessions than most of our friends. We eat at home a lot. We don't go to a lot of expensive events or take exotic vacations. But overall, we are happier than we've been in a very long time. And we don't feel necessarily deprived, either. 

In this blog I'm going to try and take a lighthearted look at living more simply. I'll chronicle some of my freecycling adventures (and misadventures). I want to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture and becoming more of a localvore in terms of how we eat. One choice I've made that may seem incongruous at this juncture is that I make an effort to choose and cook with whole, organic, and local foods, as well as natural cleaning products, even though they may be more expensive than what is commercially available. I figure I'm saving enough money in the things we *don't* do, that I can make some concessions this way. I will share what I'm learning about local living and maybe you will decide to learn along with me. 

Marsha