Chattanooga Freecycle Offers Free Stuff To Keep Your Unwanteds Out Of The Landfill

It may be 25 years before the local landfill reaches capacity, but if users of a local website have their way, several more years will be tacked onto the dump's life.

Margaret Moore moderates Freecycle.  "Yep, everything's free no strings attached."  It's an online network where people post items they offer to giveaway for free.

Moore says if you have a lot of things at home and don't feel like having a garage sale, you can post it on freecycle, there's always somebody in this city or outside this city who would be glad to come and get it from you."

We found listings for coffee makers, a microwave oven, pet supplies, and even an office copier.  "You don't need a long story to get an item. Cause if a person has an item they no longer want, no longer need, or cannot use, if they have the heart to give it they will give it to you," says Moore.

Some items aren't allowed on freecycle, like antiques... jewelry... and other valuables.  Moore says that's a safety precaution, because with close to 7,000 people enrolled locally, you never know who you're dealing with.

If someone wants your item, they simply send you an email, and then coordinate pick-up.  Moore says "many people don't allow pick ups at their house, they may meet them up at a neutral site which is a lot safer."

The group allows wanted posts, buts limits users to two listings over a four-week period.  Otherwise, the group would fail to function the way it was intended.

Moore says freecycle helps non-profits too, like churches that post old vacation bible school materials for other congregation to use.

Chattanooga freecycle is open to the public, but you need a Yahoo! email account, which is free too.  Here's how you join.

1. Click here to go to the Chattanooga Freecycle website
2. Click "Join this group" on the right side of the screen
3. Then sign-in to your Yahoo! account
4. That will take you to a page to verify your Profile and Email address.  While there, you need to send a message to the moderator about yourself, including the city where you live, and why you want to join the group.  Also decide if you want to receive listings as they come in, or in one daily digest.
5. In a day or so, you'll be approved and can return to the site to view Offers and Wanted posts.