MyMilton
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« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2005, 11:37:18 AM » |
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Nice going Jeanette!!!  Here is the article:Local Web site saving trash from landfill
Gillian Cormier, Special to the Champion
Aug 23, 2005
As the old saying goes, one person's trash is another's treasure. Now there's an organization in Milton that's making sure nothing ends up in a landfill that could be better suited in someone else's hands.
Milton Freecycle is an on-line community where residents can post items they want to give away, and request used items from other members -- totally free, with no money changing hands. It's part of a grassroots movement that began in 2003 as a way to promote waste reduction in downtown Tucson, Arizona.
The official Freecycle Web site, www.freecycle.org, encourages people to think globally, recycle locally and change the world one gift at a time. The Freecycle Network now has nearly 3,000 communities worldwide and more than 1.5 million members.
"With Milton growing, I hope it becomes a really big thing," said Milton Freecycle chapter founder and Web site moderator Jeanette Murphy.
Last year, after seeing a segment on CBC Market Place on the Tucson Freecycle Network, Ms Murphy was inspired to set up a Milton chapter of Freecycle. By March 2005, Milton Freecycle was up and running.
The Yahoo-based Milton chapter now has 220 members and is growing at a rate of about two new members per day. More than 300 offers for items and 120 inquiries have been posted to date, including everything from car manuals to fax machines.
It's up to the giver to decide who receives the gift they posted, and arrange pick-up or delivery. The communities are run by volunteer moderators, like Ms Murphy, who answer questions and make sure the rules are obeyed.
There aren't many rules, but everything posted on Freecycle Web sites must be free, legal and appropriate for all ages. Ms Murphy also doesn't allow pets to be posted on the Milton chapter Web site because she fears the possibility of abuse, but everything else is fair game.
"People don't normally post absolute garbage," she said. "Right now, some of the best posts are a solar blanket for a swimming pool, toddler beds, magazines, rollerblades, concrete patio stones, computer monitors, a gas lawn mower, blinds and more."
Ms Murphy thinks the site will be a great resource for people in the process of moving, and help to reduce curb-side clutter in Milton.
"When I moved into Milton a year ago, if I knew about Freecycle I would have given away a ton of great stuff," she said. "I've seen some great things sitting on the side of the road. It's heart-wrenching to watch this stuff go."
When it comes to clothing, blankets or similar items, Milton Freecycle encourages the givers to offer these items to charity first. Ms Murphy has also been trying to get local charities to become members of the site, so they can be in a position to receive some of the things they need from the Freecycle community.
Freecycle is a unique way for people in the community to help each other while recycling at the same time, and Ms Murphy said that's why it works.
"The purpose is to save as much stuff as we can from ending up in a landfill," she said. "That's what we're here for."
Like everything in the Freecycle universe, membership is free. The Milton Freecycle Network is located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/milton_freecycle. |
