A talk at TEDx Edinburgh today reminded me of how cool Freegle (formerly Freecycle, in the UK) is. Since not everyone has quite as greedy a ‘free stuff’ radar as I do, it’s possible some people haven’t heard of this concept. Basically, if you’ve ever had that guilty twinge as you threw something out — “I’m sure someone could use this, if only I could find them” — Freegle is there to help. Post an email to the list and most of the time someone will be listening, ready to take it off your hands, and usually very conveniently (they turn up and take it away, saving you effort).

I’ve given away a couple of things and received a few more through Freegle when it was Freecycle, and it’s a great system, making you feel a little bit warm and fuzzy as well as either getting free stuff or free space. Hurrah.

Of course, like any economic idyll, there are problems. One such is reflected in the shift from Freecycle to Freegle, which Wikipedia just about tells me was due to American Overlords ousting long-serving UK volunteers who refused to kowtow to rigid systems ^{[citation needed][neutrality disputed]}. (In fact, one gets the impression from the Wikipedia page that Freecycle itself is almost a nasty piece of work, getting mired in trademark disputes and corporate funds rather than focusing on its key goals. Freegle seems not to suffer from this, fortunately.)

Another is part of the unfortunate hassle in listing and giving away items; I’ve often seen comments about no-shows and the like on the Freegle lists. I’m guessing that because there’s no value associated with the transaction, people can change their minds and just not turn up — one way around this that I’ve seen is for people to hold reserve recipients in mind in case the top choice doesn’t turn up, rather than relist. A problem with listing a popular item is the ensuing flood of responses — I remember seeing a laptop of some sort going, and the lister decided to give it to the most deserving (which is fair enough), a child in hospital. Still, sorting through all those emails, even the ones that come after the item’s long gone.. I don’t envy that. If your email system is anything like mine, I’d almost recommend using a separate account just for this stuff, or it gets crazy.

Still, despite these minor bumps, Freegle is great, both from a giver’s and receiver’s perspective. So next time you wonder if you really should throw that old router away… list it, give it a few days, and get someone to come round after you’ve had your tea and take it off your hands. Hurrah!

The adage ‘make do and mend’ was a wartime anthem, and our grandparents and parents grew up with a thrifty outlook, making the most of what they had. Today, we overconsume, overspend and own far too much stuff — most of which we never even use. If we buy second-hand clothes, we’re being ‘vintage’; if we reuse items, we’re being ‘eco-friendly’. Yet it was all common sense to our grandparents.

How does this relate to businesses, and poverty around the world? Some of the principles of thrift that we’re so painstakingly re-learning are very relevant in the business world, especially if you’re starting on a shoestring. For example, you can source furniture, fittings and even computers from Freecycle; you’d be amazed at what people give away these days. Similarly, instead of sending old items to landfill, consider donating them — someone out there might need it. There are plenty of initiatives that, for example, recycle old mobile phones and send them to developing countries.

From the technology side of things, don’t neglect the power of open source, open communities and open beta. You can get a lot of things — from software nuts-and-bolts to honest feedback and thorough testing — without spending a penny. 

As mentioned in a previous post, you can look for ethical suppliers and buy ethically sourced and fair trade products, ensuring that your morning coffee actually benefits the people who grew it; plus there’s always Gift Aid, and similar ways of giving to charity through business that benefit both you and the charity.

Or you can get direct. Initiatives that let you donate to entrepreneurs in the developing world, who often don’t have anywhere near the help and support we are lucky enough to benefit from, are a great way of making a very personal difference. You can also use the power of the Internet to directly find and mentor people making their own way in the world.

Plus, there are plenty of business concepts you could develop that either fight poverty directly or help encourage this greener, pro-thrift attitude that’s on the rise. Set up clothing swap parties, start a local Freecycle branch, establish a mentoring network for businesses in developing countries, make an online swap shop where people exchange or donate unused licenses and beta keys, etc. 

It’s easy to get involved and easy to start making a change to poverty, even if it’s reducing your own overconsumption and shopping more ethically. If you’re interested in learning more, BlogActionDay has a great list of further reading on the subject.