Every business produces a certain amount of clean, usable waste. As a responsible business owner you should be aware of a conservation effort called Freecycle. Freecycle is a large network of groups that concentrate keeping things out of landfills, worldwide. Association with this group will help brand your company in a favorable way.
Freecycle focuses on recycling items that would normally end up in the landfill, for reasons having nothing to do with the usefulness of the item. Including the kitchen sink, everything from crayons to clothes, from appliances to automobiles, is exchanged here. Of course, the biggest advantage is to the community. The group’s main goal is less stress on the landfill that’s literally right down the street.
The group’s sole way of communication between members is through a series of messages on an Internet bulletin board. All posts look like emails with a subject line and a body to the message. Messages can be posted directly on the board or sent via email. It’s very easy for you to join and use these groups. It’s free and takes only minutes…really.
Membership is free, and you’ll find lots of your neighbors already ‘freecycling’. The membership numbers for groups in Englewood-Rotonda, Venice, North Port and Port Charlotte combined totals over 7,000.
Start by going to Yahoo.com. If you don’t already have a free Yahoo email address, get one. That email address and password will be your ticket to all the free services that Yahoo has to offer, including Freecycle.
Make sure to create your Yahoo name from your full business name. Abbreviations are easier for you, but they work against your purpose, which is to be noticed, recognized and patronized. You want get “credit” for all those things you are passing on. If your business name has been taken, add your town at the end of your business name. XYZ@yahoo.com might be taken, but XYZEnglewood@yahoo.com is probably available. You can use this as the email box for your Freecycle group messages, or have the messages go to your regular email address. Either way, you’ll only get the amount of email you want, by choosing individual, daily or weekly notices, when you sign up.
Now, go to Freecycle.org and join the groups closest to you. Keep in mind these are all conservation minded people and they discourage driving too far to pick stuff up.
Once your membership is approved, look down the list of messages and you will see that each post starts with either OFFER, TAKEN, WANTED, or FOUND.
OFFER – Cardboard Boxes – Corner of 776 & Spinnaker
Of course, use this when you have something to give away, these posts are supposed to come with the closest major crossroads, and/or the city you are in. So, if you’ve chosen your business name as your Yahoo ID, EVERY POST you make will have your business name and location in it. The body of the message goes on to explain exactly what you are offering.
TAKEN – Cardboard Boxes
This is used when someone comes and picks up what you had offered. This lets all the other users know that the item is gone.
WANTED – Working Cash Register – Englewood
It might seem like a wish list, and people are so generous, especially here, but people who try to abuse the group are usually collectively, and sometimes not silently shunned. Wanted posts are a useful tool when you need something. Wanted’s are useful as well to the general reader, who, as they peruse through the messages, might be reminded of unused items they have and are done with.
FOUND – Working Cash Register – Thanks so much!
When you get what you need, a nice post is appreciated and encourages all the rest of us to keep giving and using Freecycle.
Try to offer something at least once a week, to keep your posts fresh, and on top of the lists. If you do, your business name will be in front of people AT LEAST 8 times a month.
Go to FREECYCLE.ORG and sign up today!
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